Bondage
by TheEvilTrafficCone
Summary: Captain Rummy is fed up with working for Beckett's East India Trading Company. She wants out, but the only way to sever ties with him is to double cross Jack and take the key and chest, which just may be harder than it looks. Finished!
1. Chapter 1: Arrested

**A/N: Hello everybody, this is TheEvilTrafficCone, this is my first POC2 story. I know it doesn't go into great detail about my OC, but that will be explained next chapter. Warning, some language! Oh and it took me forever to find the POC2 script. Thanks for reading and please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest or Curse of the Black Pearl. **

**Part 1**

**Chapter 1**

"Come on Toby, I think that bastard Beckett went this way." I called to the tall man behind me. We walked through the empty streets of Port Royal, rain making it a muddy river. Toby and I were soaked to the bone when we spotted a large group of redcoats gathered by a respectable house. I drew closer, Toby was at my side and we saw Becket speaking to a man in shackles and a woman in a wedding dress.

"Will…!" The woman cried softly, running to the man. He was tall and young, with long blonde brown hair. He seemed to be nicely dressed, but not too over the top with the fine cloths.

"Why is this happening?" The bride asked. Her dark blonde hair was soaked and her wedding dress hung limply around her. She had a lovely figure, and seemed to glow even in the darkness of the storm. Despair and confusion were in her eyes.

"I don't know. You look beautiful." Will told her, looking at her lovingly, I guessed he was the groom.

My prediction was confirmed, "I think it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding." The pretty girl spoke.

"Make way, let me through!" An elderly man in a white wig spoke as redcoats crossed their long axes to bar him from entering.

"Is that the governor?" Toby asked as we stood a little ways off watching the spectacle.

"I don't know." I answered back, I was curious to find out why these seemingly respectable couple was being arrested by Beckett.

"How dare you! Stand your men down at once! Do you hear me?" The governor ordered.

Beckett began to speak, his white, curly wig not even moving as he turned to see the man, "Governor Weatherby Swann, it's been too long."

"Cutler Beckett!" Governor Swann spoke hostilely.

"His Lord now… actually."

I groaned at the arrogance in that ponce's voice. I watched more, waiting for him to finish so I could speak to him.

"Lord or not, you have no reason and no authority to arrest this man." The governor told Beckett.

"In fact, I do. Mister Mercer! The warrant for the arrest of one William Turner."

"This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann." Governor Swann read the parchment. He looked up at his daughter standing closely to Will.

"Oh, is it? That's annoying. My mistake. Arrest her."

"On what charges?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"No!" Will shouted, attempting to protect his fiancé.

"Ah-ha! Here's the one for William Turner. And I have one for Mister James Norrington. Is he present?" Beckett spoke in an upstanding manner.

Norrington? I thought, he was in Tortuga. He was the infamous drunk who used to be commodore in Port Royal. He had sunk lower than dirt in a matter of days.

"What are the charges?" The governor's daughter repeated herself.

"Commodore Norrington resigned his commission some months ago." Governor Swann spoke.

"I don't believe that's the answer to the question I asked." Beckett sniffed.

"Lord Beckett! In the category of questions not answered…" Will Turner added angrily, his body tensing.

"We are under the jurisdiction of the King's governor or Port Royal, and you will tell us what we are charged with." Elizabeth exclaimed, fed up with being arrested at her own home on her wedding day.

"The charge…is conspiracy to set free a man convicted of crimes against the crown and empire, and condemned to death, for which the- Governor Swann read from the warrant.

"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death." I could see that Beckett was enjoying himself tremendously, "Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow."

"Captain!" The couple shouted together.

"Captain Jack Sparrow." Elizabeth corrected.

Well I had definitely heard of Jack Sparrow, but I couldn't say I had seen that two timing snake recently. I was surprised he would have anything to do with these two upper-class residents. But then again, I had cut off contact with him a long time ago and his scandalous affairs did not concern me.

"Captain Jack Sparrow. Yes, I thought you might." Beckett scornfully spoke.

With that, the soldiers clasped manacles onto Elizabeth's slim wrists and with strained her father. They were escorted off and brought to the docks where they were roughly pushed onto Beckett's ships.

Finally I was able to get a word with Beckett alone. Toby standing by my side, ready to protect me or "influence" Beckett to see things my way.

"Lord Cutler Beckett." I approached the short, but vicious aristocrat. Toby gave him a wary look, his dark hair hung across his eyes and his fists clenched. He was the one man I could trust when it came to negotiations. I respected him deeply; we had known each other since childhood. That was before he had grown into a hulky and intimidating person.

"Captain Rummy." Beckett looked at me like a vermin.

"My Lord, "I said with effort, "I have come to ask to be released from the East India Trading Company."

"Is that so?" Beckett looked mockingly at me, "Well we have an agreement if you don't remember. I gave you liberation from the gallows in return for your loyal employment for the East India Trading Company."

"You don't need to remind me!" I my voice growing louder, "I still ask for freedom and if you don't release me from you East India Trading shit, then I swear on my life your merchants will be at the bottom of the sea!" I hissed, Toby grew closer, sensing danger.

Beckett seemed to be thinking my proposal over, he calmly spoke, "I thank you for you three years of service, Captain Rummy. I may consider unemploying you if you do me one favor."

"What might that be?" I asked, pushing my long chestnut hair out of my eyes. There was no way I trusted this pale faced monster.

"I believe you remember a certain key I had you attempt to fetch about a year ago." Beckett slyly explained.

"Yes," I remembered looking down at my left hand. The pinky and ring finger were missing. Never go to Cannibal Island.

"Well my sources tell me that somebody has retrieved it."

"Really? And who might that be?" I asked suspiciously.

"Captain Jack Sparrow."

**A/N: So, I hope this chapter wasn't too confusing. Like I said, Rummy will be explained more in depth next chapter. Review if you have questions. Thanks!**

**Chinchillas are friends not furs! Soylent Green is people!**

**TheEvilTrafficCone Out!**

**DIRDLE**

**DIRDLE**

**DIRDLE**


	2. Chapter 2: Aquaintences

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! It didn't let me put the website for the script on there. But if you search for movie scripts, they might have it. Okay, I know I said this last time, but I still haven't gotten to the juicy flashbacks and character development on Rummy. I will though, I promise. And a promise from me means a lot. .**

"It's quite simple really." Beckett explained on the ship ride back to the East India Trading Company's headquarters, "Sparrow is in dire need of the key and chest, so he should lead you right to it."

"I don't think it's as simple as you put it." I said over a glass of wine, "All you said was that this chest was valuable. Jack has plenty of treasure, why is this one chest so important to him?"

Beckett stood up from his velvet chair and looked out at the still dreary sky from the porthole, "There was an account of a man named Davy Jones." Beckett spoke slowly, unsure if he should say anymore.

"Davy Jones? What's in your head mate?" I exclaimed, that was a tale invented by superstitious sailors.

"No," Beckett said darkly, "There actually was a real man called that. There are many stories of him, most of them farces. But one…one tells of a chest protecting his heart, which he ripped out of his chest. Supposedly, whoever has the chest has the power to control Davy Jones."

"And you want to control him so that your company will have complete power of the seas?" I asked doubtfully, "Sure Beckett, I'll look for your magic chest, s'long as I get my freedom back."

"If you succeed, that is." Beckett reminded me, he brushed some imaginary dust off his chest, "Oh, there is one more thing; William Turner will be joining you. He knows Sparrow and I will speak to him about the matter." Beckett announced in his stuck up voice.

I left the cabin and saw Toby waiting on deck for me. He looked uncomfortable, surrounded by so many British soldiers.

"So?" He asked, "What did he say?"

"Apparently, we are to look for some enchanted chest that belonged to Davy Jones." I answered his question.

"The heart of Davy Jones?" Toby surprised me.

"Yeah, how did you know?" I asked.

"Just a story I heard when I was a boy. Not really important."

I eyed Toby, suspiciously, he wasn't telling me something, but I let the thought slide out of my mind.

As we spoke, the ship approached the docks and I saw we were on the southern most point of Port Royal. The three prisoners were brought up from below decks and hauled down the plank. Toby and I followed them to a prison, not unlike the hundreds I had seen on other islands across the Caribbean.

Elizabeth and her father were pushed into a dingy, iron cell, while Will was kept outside. The three looked grossly out of place in their setting, I almost laughed, thinking of what must be running through the governor's mind right now.

"The Lord wants a word with you." A soldier spoke in a heavy British accent to Will who questioned why he couldn't be with Elizabeth.

I followed them up to an extravagant mansion on the hillside a little farther off. The sun had finally appeared in the sky to dry the rains of that day. Will was now just taking notice of my presence. He had not noticed me when they had been arrested, but now he looked curiously at my ragged cloths and polished sword at my belt.

He also examined Toby who was armored more than I. He had two curved machetes on his back, a pistol in his pocket and three knives hidden under his cloths. Will was no doubt wondering who we were.

The guards brought Will and us to Beckett's furnished office. At the back of the room, there was a man painting a large mural of the world. It spanned across the whole wall, and labeled every continent, city, and river know to mankind.

"Lord Beckett. The prisoner as ordered, Sir." The guard spoke as Will entered.

"Those won't be necessary." Beckett spoke lazily; the guard removed the manacles from Will's hands. As was his custom, Beckett poured some liquor in a fine crystal glass.

"The East India Trading Company has need of your services." Beckett offered Will the glass, but he declined, "We wish for you to act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend: Captain Jack Sparrow."

"More acquaintance than friend. How do you know him?" Will asked, innocent to the task Beckett had in store for him.

"We've had our dealings in the past." Beckett held up a hot brand with the letter "P" on it, "And we've each left our mark…on the other."

"What mark did he leave on you?" Will asked curiously.

"By your efforts Jack Sparrow was set free. I would like you to go to him, and recover a certain property in his possession." Beckett spoke.

"Recover? At the point of a sword?" Will was beginning to catch on.

"Bargain." Beckett explained to Will as if he was new to the method. He walked over to an oak table and opened a wooden box laying on it.

"Letters of Marque. You will offer what amounts to a full pardon. Jack will be free, a privateer in the employ of England."

I scoffed at that. Free? Hardly. So Beckett wanted to kill two birds with one stone.

Will looked at my irritated smirk and finally got the picture, "Somehow I doubt Jack will consider employment the same as being free."

The Lord spoke disgustedly, "Freedom." He closed the box, "Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. The world is shrinking, the blank pages of the map filled in. Jack must find his place in the new world or perish." He said this looking at me, "Not unlike you Mr. Turner. You and your fiancée face the hangman's noose."

"So you get both Jack and the _Black Pearl_."

"The _Black Pearl_?" Beckett asked, belittling the ship.

"The property you want which he possesses." Will explained.

Now that was the mistake Will made. He had no idea that what Beckett wanted was much more important than a ship. According to his legends, what was the use of controlling ships when he could control the ocean?

"A ship? Hardly. The item in question's considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Sparrow keeps on his person at all times. A compass." At this, Will looked out at the sea, "Ah you know it. Bring back that compass or there's no deal."

"Eh hem." I spoke up, reminding the men that I was still standing there.

"Pardon me, Mr. Turner, this is erm Captain Rummy." He said my name with dislike, "She will aid you in finding Jack Sparrow."

I nodded, giving him a half smile to let him know I was one of the "good guys".

"Hello." He looked into my eyes and I could see the strong will that was the force behind all of his decisions.

We were brought back down to the prison so that Will could say his goodbyes to his love and her father.

"Jack's compass. What does Beckett want with that?" Elizabeth asked as Will explained what was happening.

"Does it matter? I'm to find Jack and convince him to return to Port Royal. In exchange the charges against us will be dropped." He whispered back to her, pressing his chest against the bars and holding her hands through them.

"No. We must find our own avenue to secure your freedom." Governor Swann spoke up.

"Is that a lack of faith in Jack, or in me?" Will questioned.

"That you would risk your life to save Sparrow's does not mean that he would do the same for anyone else. Now, where's that dog with the keys?" He whistled, looking for the mangy hound that hung around the old prison.

"I have faith in you. Both of you. Where will you find him?" Elizabeth asked, her fingers caressed Will's chin.

"Tortuga. I'll start there. And this Captain Rummy is supposed to help me find him." Elizabeth's eyes shifted over to me, leaning against the stone wall with my hands crossed over my chest. She seemed to be making sure I was going to keep her love safe or something.

"And then, I intend to return here, to marry you." Will continued.

Oh, how sweet, so the young couple actually still believed in fairy tale endings. Unfortunately, the real world didn't work like that.

"Properly?" Elizabeth had hope in her eyes.

"Eagerly, if you'll still have me."

"If it weren't for these bars I'd have you already." Elizabeth said seductively.

The governor accidentally knocked the candleholder off the wall and tossed it aside, onto the floor. This seemed to be a distraction to prevent Will and Elizabeth from going any further with their relationship; oblivious to me and the governor still in the room.

"I'll wait for you." Elizabeth whispered, love in her heart.

I could barely hear what Will responded, but it sounded like, "Keep a weather eye on the horizon."

We left the cell and entered the bright sun of the Caribbean.

"So," Will questioned me, "Are you a pirate?"

"Me?" I snorted, "Not anymore, I work for the East India Trading Company. But before that, I was illegally active on the water and did some rum running."

"But, I'm Captain Rummy, and I'll help you find your acquaintance Jack Sparrow." I shook the man's hand. "This is my first mate, Toby." I gestured toward him standing behind me.

"Will Turner, nice to meet you." The two nodded.

"So I assume you'll want to start looking right away?" I asked.

"Absolutely."

"Well then, I'll take you to the Jade Chalice and we'll head on over to Tortuga." I spoke, "My ship ain't as fast as the Black Pearl, but it's better than trying to get the natives to take you somewhere."

Will seemed already confused. I wondered how much use he would be during this adventure, and I also wondered how the hell I would find Jack when there were thousands of small islands floating in the gigantic sea. Part of me was curious though to see if there really was a Davy Jones, but I had no idea how I would trick one of the most infamous pirates into giving me the chest.

**A/N: Please R&R my story and R&R the Writing Fairy's stories too! She writes very well and should have ten times as many reviews than she does right now. That is your homework for today, so please get started!**

**TheEvilTrafficCone Out!**


	3. Chapter 3: Flashbacks

**A/N: This chapter is filled with flashbacks thank God. Please review, it seems like as soon as I post this it gets pushed back a couple pages. God damn it Leroy. Leroy, you're just as stupid as hell. **

**Chapter 3**

Will followed Toby and I down to my ship, the _Jade Chalice_. I looked at my ship, feeling the pride of commanding such a fine vessel. It had taken forever for me to save up enough money to buy it, but finally I had purchased it from an old merchant and fixed it up a bit. What made the _Jade Chalice_ so unmistakable were its dark green sails. Unlike any other on the sea. It had a relatively small hull, but it was swift in the water and didn't need a very large crew to command.

I had to be very careful with the sailors I hired. For some reason, they always got a little too greedy and ambitious, believing that they could easily overtake the ship and commit mutiny. Unfortunately, not many sailors liked to be commanded by a woman.

Like I said, Toby was the only one I trusted. He had put out quite a lot of rebellions on my ship. But I had saved him a few times too. Particularly, I remember one incident that had happened when we were teenagers. Toby and I were hanging around the pier, not doing much. We would talk to merchants and sailors, Toby was a cabin boy then and I was stuck at home with my five other sisters. Even then, my dream was to own my own ship, but no one would dare hire a girl, so I just sat around the docks most of the day.

Toby had just gotten back from a short voyage to a nearby island and he and I were talking, not taking much notice of our surroundings. One of the sailors let their anchor drop and the rope had suddenly wrapped itself around Toby's ankle. He was dragged into the water before I even knew it.

At first, I just stood there as my mind tried to process what had just happened; then I dove into the water, realizing that he was caught at the bottom. The water was murky and dark, but I grabbed onto the rope and pulled myself down. Panic was entering my mind, making it harder to hold my breath. I knew that the water was deep, and that Toby could easily drown.

I kept pulling myself deeper and deeper until I felt a body. Toby was struggling to free his foot. I pulled out a knife from my pocket and began to saw through the thick rope. Toby was kicking harshly, which made it harder to cut the rope, I could see the air bubbles escaping his nose and mouth. At last, the rope snapped and we both swam desperately to the surface. I could see the bright sunshine glimmering off the water as if nothing had happened. We both took a deep breath as we breached the surface.

Some fishermen helped us back on the deck and the two of us lay there, soaked and panting. There was a deep gash on Toby's foot, where the rope had dug into it, but other than that we were fine. After that incident, Toby swore to me that he would always protect me because I had saved his life.

We boarded the ship and I was met by crew. They weren't the cleanliest bunch, but they did have experience and at least accepted my authority.

"So where's the heading?" A sailor named Ben asked.

"Tortuga, to find Jack Sparrow." I announced, "This is Will, he's gonna be staying with us for a while."

Some of the men grunted, I heard one of them mutter, "He looks like a pansy."

"Follow me, Will." I told him.

I brought him below decks to where the crew stayed, "You can take this bunk." Will looked at the small bed. His feet would probably stick out, but that was the best I could do. There wasn't a lot of living space on a ship. Most of the men slept out on the deck in fair weather.

"I think it's best you tell me how you know Jack Sparrow." I spoke, "We can speak privately in my cabin."

"If you wish." Will responded, we entered my cabin, which was a bit more spacious. Lying on a large table were maps, compasses, oceanic trinkets, and calculations. Most people don't realize that there is a lot of math involved in sailing. It's a business. You have to calculate your knots and leagues from one point to another. Then there is the amount of food the ship can carry and how long you can stay self sustained. Wind direction and weight play a major role in the speed of the ship and it always seemed like Beckett wanted the goods to arrive yesterday.

I really missed the carefree, unscheduled days of just sailing into the blue, not knowing where I would end up. I used to be captain of my own ship, now it was Beckett ordering me to go here and there. That's why I was willing to do anything to get out of this mess.

I offered Will a seat and some rum, which I always had plenty of. I alone knew the quadrants of a nearly untouched island called Acoundi. That was the best island to store rum, so that it could age and grow sweet. The expensive and exotic Acoundi Rum, it had an original flavor and was the reason I knew Jack Sparrow.

"So, how long have you known Captain Jack Sparrow?" I asked.

"Not long, less than two months. He helped me rescue my fiancée, Elizabeth." Will explained.

"Rescue her from who?"

"Barbosa."

The name hung eerily between us, "Ah, I've dealt with him." I spoke, to clear the air, "Gave me some trouble." I pointed to the long scar across my cheek.

"How do you know Jack?" Will asked.

"Haven't you ever wondered how he got off that island?" I questioned, knowing that Jack would have no doubt told him of his harrowing escape from the sand bar Barbosa had marooned him on.

"Oh, yeah, he told me he roped himself a bunch of sea turtles and made a raft." Will said stupidly.

"Well if by rope he means rescued and sea turtles means my ship then I guess he was right."

"Anyways, after that, Jack was my best customer. He kept me in business and bought most of my rum. Guess that's what made him so crazy." I continued.

"Is that why you're called Captain Rummy?" Will began catching on.

"Yep, I transported the best rum on the seven seas. The Acoundi Rum. Only I know where the island is." I bragged a little, "But now Beckett has me doing his errands and I can't return the Acoundi Island without him finding out."

"So if Jack's your best customer, where is he?" Will took a sip from his rum, and grimaced a little from the strength of it.

"I don't trade with Jack anymore." I told him bitterly.

"Why not?"

"Because he got a little too greedy and began shooting cannon balls through my ship when I wouldn't tell him where I got my rum." I explained.

"Oh," Was all Will said.

At that moment, Toby came in and declared that we were at Tortuga. Thus began the search for Jack Sparrow. We split up and began looking in the various wild bars in Tortuga.

We met back at the Jade Chalice with some information. Apparently, he was either dead, in Singapore, gone for a month, or at Cannibal Island. Yay, my favorite place!

"Well, Singapore's kinda far off; our best chance would be to go to Cannibal Island." I explained.

Will rubbed the side of his cheek where he had been recently slapped by two women looking for Jack Sparrow. "Tell me the name has nothing to do with the island."

"Unfortunately, it does." I raised my left hand and Will saw the two missing fingers.

"Should we set sail now or in the morning?" Toby asked.

"It's late. Get some rest all of you. But be ready to set sail at dawn tomorrow." I gave the commands.

The crew disbanded, leaving to go to the bars or their wives. Toby met his wife on the docks and they headed home together. Will left to go stay the night at the inn and I slept in the cabin. As Will left, he seemed immensely lonely and lost. I felt fury at the thought that Beckett could do this to another human being.

Inside my cabin, I sat alone and listened to the quiet night. Occasionally, sounds drifted from the bars and gun shots went off, but other than that, it was quite peaceful. I brushed my blonde brown hair that reached to the middle of my back. I used a small mirror to study my reflection. The long scar was still visible; it slashed closely to my hazel eyes and stretched down to my chin.

It was always a reminder of Barbosa and what had happened to my family. That was a few years after Barbosa gained control of the _Black Pearl_. He and his crew were terrorizing and plundering the ports that dotted the Caribbean islands and one day, his men crossed paths with my family.

I had returned home from one of my runs transporting rum to learn the sad truth. One of the neighbors had come by and told me that Barbosa and his men had attacked the small town. They had killed dozens of people and my family had been one of them that had been wiped out. His men had first raped and then killed my five other sisters, then they shot my father in the head and left them.

When I had found out, my legs gave out weakly beneath me and I just broke down. When Toby came by to find out why I hadn't returned, I sent him away. I ran into the jungle that surrounded the town and didn't come out for three days. That was where I did my grieving. Finally, I had made up a decision. I would kill Barbosa. I would slit his throat for all that he had done to my family and the other people he had terrorized.

It took months to find the _Black Pearl_, but at last we caught him at another port, ransacking it. I found him standing over a bloodied bar tender with his sword glinting. He had a grin on his face as he was just about to finish the man off. He was older than I expected. I guess I thought he would be more Jack's age, but he still wore the pirate uniform. Black, pointed hat, overcoat, and dark boots.

"Barbosa!" I yelled at him as I stepped through the door.

He was laughing as he turned around to face me. I had my sword drawn and ready, and a determination to kill. "Who are you woman?" He asked.

"You bastard! You killed my family, and now I'm gonna do the same to you!" I spat, hatred in my eyes.

Barbosa smiled, "Well, that comes with the job. Do you actually believe you can kill me?" He asked maliciously.

"I intend to. And I will."

"Oh, come on! If you leave right now, I'll spare your life." He made it seem like he was doing an act of charity.

"Enough! You will pay for your crimes!" I hurled myself at him. He leaped quickly to the side and parried, I was surprised by the swiftness in him. I was average at swordplay; I had practiced with Toby and some of the men on the ship. But Barbosa was much more experienced than I. He had so much power in his swings that the vibration from the weapons went all the way up to my shoulders. It seemed like he never left himself open.

Barbosa was pushing me back, as I tried to dodge and parry his blows. He was clearly dominating the match. Finally, I collapsed out of exhaustion and Barbosa's razor-sharp sword came down on me. I moved out of the way just in time to save myself from his blade hitting my skull, but the tip cut into my face.

At first, I didn't feel anything, my body was numb, but then the blood began running down my face and into my eyes. Barbosa laughed yet again at me mockingly. He grabbed me by the front of my shirt and slammed me against the wall, "You'd best stay away from me, if you know what's best fer ya."

I was still clutching my sword as he held me against the wall, and in a last, desperate attempt, I jousted the sword into his chest. At first, I thought I had done it, and killed him. His grip loosened and he dropped me. He stepped back and I thought he was about to collapse, but instead his hands went to the hilt of my sword. He slowly pulled it out and then pointed it at my chest.

"I warned ya. You cannot kill me." He rasped grimly. His blood from the sword dripped onto me, I prepared for my death.

"Just kill me then." I raised my head boldly to look at him as I lay on the ground.

"They screamed like cowards before they died. And pleaded to live, you are quite the opposite, girl." Barbosa spoke, "That amuses me." He smiled devilishly as he threw the sword down.

He stalked out of the bar and left. I never saw him again. I managed to crawl out and get to my feet. I felt light headed and about to pass out. One of my crew found me and brought me back to the ship.

"Don't close your eyes, don't pass out." Toby's voice told me.

"I won't." I struggled to remain alert, but felt my strength leaving me. Some alcohol was applied to my face and then I blacked out.

It took weeks for my cut to heal, and I remembered wishing that Barbosa had killed me. It seemed like the weight of all the deaths around me was crushing the air out of my lungs. It wasn't fair, none of this was fair. If only I could have done something, but I had failed miserably and I had never stood a chance against Barbosa.

I put the mirror away as I thought about that traumatizing event, it made my stomach twist and I forced myself to forget about it, but as I closed my eyes to go to sleep, my memories still haunted me.

**A/N: Please, please, please review or else if I don't get at least four reviews for this story, I'm not updating anymore. Humph!**


	4. Chapter 4: Cannibal Island

**A/N: Wow this turned out to be a long one, but I wanted to get the entire island into it. Thanks 16aqua and WF for the reviews, I care too much about you to not update. Stupid school, it's delaying everything! Okay so ignoring Code 1 and all the stuff that's happened this week we shall delve into the very intriguing story of Bondage. **

**Chapter 4**

We set off early in the bright sun of the Caribbean and arrived at Cannibal Island fairly quickly. Right away, I spotted the unmistakable sails of the _Black Pearl_. I thought it odd that it was beached, tied to stakes bonded into the sand.

"Jack! Jack Sparrow!" Will called out as we reached the shore. Nobody answered, I wondered why it seemed like everything was deserted. It gave me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach; Jack would have left someone on board.

"Marty! Cotton! Anybody?" Will shouted again, hoping to hear an answering cry or maybe a plea for help. He jumped down from the ship and started searching for any signs of life.

"Toby, come with me." I ordered him and some of my crew to come with us and scout. Will was already halfway up the coastline. The jungle reached right up to the beach, it was thick, luscious, and looked as if it could hide many things.

I squinted my eyes to see Will already entering the jungle, "Shit, he has no idea what he's getting himself into." I muttered to Toby, trudging through the paradise. I hoped this time I could keep the rest of my fingers and toes.

"Will!" I called, trying to get the man to slow down, finally the rest of us caught up to him. "Hold up Will, you seriously don't want to walk in there alone. These natives pull some crazy shit. They eat people, roast them alive, and spear their heads. I have no idea why Jack would come to such a place." I pointed to the foreboding jungle.

"I stopped applying logic to that pirate long ago." Toby added.

We cautiously entered the jungle, keeping a watchful eye about us, suddenly a red, green, and blue blur rushed by us. It swooped up sharply and landed on a palm tree.

"Ah, a familiar face!" Will seemed glad to see Cotton's Macaw.

"Rawk! Don't eat me!" The parrot cawed to Will.

"I'm not going to eat you." Will responded to the bird.

"You're talking to a bird." I asked quizzically.

"Rawk! Don't eat me! No! Don't eat me! Akkk!"

The crew seemed to grow a little nervous from the parrots warning.

A little farther on, we spotted Gibb's husk canteen hanging on a plant, slightly twisting as if it could tell us where its owner had gone.

"Gibbs." Will asked slowly."

"Doesn't that look like a trap…?" I trailed off.

Out of nowhere, a camouflaged cannibal materialized and leaped at Will, screaming a war cry. But wait? Where was Will? My mind registered at last that he was upside down and swinging from a snare. What else was happening in this millisecond? My crew and I had whipped out our swords and weapons, spinning around looking for the enemy.

More cannibals appeared around us. They threaded through the trees like fish through water taking us by surprise. A battle had begun, my men against the jungle warriors, and the jungle warrior had the advantage. It became a brutal hand to hand combat, I was slicing my sword at them, they moved quickly but that was because they had no armor. Arrows rained down on us and with all the commotion going around, my crew was beginning to panic.

Will was still swinging back and forth from the rope yelling, "Euh! Unh! Ya! Come on! Let's go! Euh! Ya! Come on! Uhn! I could do this all day! Euh! Euh! Hah!"

"Don't split up!" I yelled above the gun shots, "They'll hunt you down." A mud covered cannibal with white face paint attacked me from behind right as I said that. I pulled him off and knocked him to the ground.

One of the savages with a bone through his nose used a blow gun to shoot dart at us. We had way too many things to dodge. I looked around swiftly, Will was limp, so were Toby and the rest of my crew. Before I could say another word, I felt a sharp stab in my neck. It took only a matter of seconds for the potent poison to enter my blood stream. Hazy, blackness was overcoming me and I vaguely remember falling or something. They were everywhere…

My head ached badly, but that's normal when you wake up to find yourself with cannibals, right?

Apparently, some of the cannibals remembered my face and brought me with too. They seemed to be highly interested in Will. They poked him, felt his hair and his strange cloths. One came at me, but I bored my eyes into him, which made him keep his distance.

I couldn't move my hands, seeing as they were tied with rope. Will was ahead of me, but tied to a stake like a hog about to be roasted. I was poked with their pointy spears to keep moving across the narrow rope bridge dangling over the precipice with tumultuous water below. My crew was not with me, the savages had apparently put them somewhere for a midnight snack.

We arrived at their campsite and Low and Behold, the one and only Jack Sparrow was sitting in a crude thrown. His face was brightly decorated with paints and eyes were drawn on his cheeks. He held himself in a regal matter, but he was still the backstabbing Jack Sparrow I knew. The others appeared to be worshipping him like a god and presented us to him.

"Jack? Jack Sparrow! I can honestly say I'm glad to see you!" Will was awake.

However, Jack did not reply. He got up and walked over to Will, carrying what looked like a feather duster. He poked his finger into Will's arm as if testing to see how much meat was on him. In the background, I could smell the smoky burning of carcass.

"Jack! It's me! Will Turner!" Will spoke with uncertainty in his voice.

I remained quiet. But I wondered what had happened to the chief that had been leading the tribe before. He was the one who had insisted that I was something to eat. I found the answer when I spotted his head on a pike, drying in the warm sun. Hmm, that was interesting…

"Wah-say kohn." The Captain of the _Black Pearl_ spoke in a strange tongue, "Een dah-lah. Eeseepi."

"Eeseepi." The crowd responded. They all seemed to be drooling over us.

"Tell 'em to let me down." Will said, still believing that Jack controlled them.

"Kay-lay lam. Lam piki-piki. Lam meensy weensy. Lam say-say…eunuchy. Snip-snip." Jack demonstrated with his fingers making a scissors motion.

"Ahhh… eunuchy!" One of the cannibals spoke, he looked vaguely familiar.

As Jack, walked away, I noticed his compass hanging from his waist. I would need that compass to find the key and chest later on.

"Will, obviously these people think he's like a god. He can't be seen speaking to you." I explained to the young man, "So shut up before they kill all three of us!"

"Jack! The Compass! That's all I need, Elizabeth is in danger. We were arrested for trying to help you. She faces the gallows!" Too late, Will spilled out the whole situation.

"Damn it!" I muttered. It was best for Jack to learn as little about our state of affairs as possible. That would give him less time to scheme and plot or try and twist it into his favor.

Jack halted; he turned around and casually walked back, "Say-say lam shoop-shoop sha smalay-lama shoo-koo. Savvy? Ball licky-licky. Ball licky-lickey!"

The crowd repeated, "Ball licky-lickey!"

**A/N: This confirms my theory that Disney adds sexual references in there films. Not to mention the giant vagina that swallows Jack up at the end of the movie. Lol.**

The group began chanting something, "Boom-shoo-boo, boom-shoo-boo, boom-shoo-boo…"

Jack approached me, "Save me!" He whispered urgently in my ear.

I could only look helplessly back at him. If Jack didn't have a plan then God have mercy on us. We were in a lot of trouble.

"Jack, what did you tell them? No! What about Elizabeth? Jack..!" Will cried.

"What about us is more like it!" I spoke getting angry, "At least poor Elizabeth will have a quick and painless death. We'll be roasting over an open fire!"

Will was carried off to a discreet location, but I was untied and brought over to Jack. They seemed pleased with themselves and spoke in their backwards language.

"Teaki-teaki." Jack ordered, he drew near to me and put his hand on my head. He closed his eyes as if meditating.

"Rochi-chi, uh hala." His voice seemed to waver as if he was reciting some prayer. Then, the captain opened his eyes and two of the cannibals held up face paint.

"Jack! What are they doing?" I asked. The huge, drums started pounding, echoing through the forests. A woman was now applying paint to my face and getting some in my eyes. She stunk really badly.

"The Pelegostos think we are gods, and they will soon free our spirit from our bodies by cutting us open when the drum stops." Jack calmly informed me of this information. He sounded like he was happy to be experiencing this.

"Well, how do we get out of this?" I asked, feeling the time slip away.

"I don't know." Jack seemed to have no worries at the present time.

"How long have you been here?" I inquired.

"A day. So Rummy, are you back in the business?" He made light conversation.

"I still haven't forgotten what you did last time! You almost sunk my ship! There is no way you are getting your filthy hands on my rum." I spoke with my teeth grinding.

Two cannibal women strung a necklace of human toes around Jack's neck.

"Thank you."

Jack did one of the most disgusting things next. He actually bit off a piece of the toenail.

"So you really are mad." I remarked, "That is disgusting Jack."

Typical, he just shrugged. The tribe began constructing a fire in the center; I wonder what that could be used for? I seriously doubted Jack's sanity right now. Actually, I thought I was doomed. Jack had apparently gone nuts, my crew was either dead or locked up somewhere, and I was about to get eaten. The drums continuously pounded giving me a headache.

"Oup! No no! Oi! No no! More Wood! Big fire! Big fire! I am chief! Want big fire! Come on!"

Face palm.

"Oi! Maboogie snickel-snickel. Tout de suite. Come on! More wood!"

The cannibal turned around to gather more kindle and as he looked back, Jack had magically disappeared. The man looked at me like I was the culprit.

"Wait, no! I had no idea he was gonna do that!" I tried to defend myself, "Damn it Jack!" I cursed, "That's great run off and leave me here!" I yelled to the empty forest.

The savage was already gone and I took this chance to run away too. I crossed the rope bridge, not paying much attention to the cages swinging back and forth across the canyon… what? Okay, I'll figure that out later, but then I saw the entire group of Pelegostos standing silently outside one of the huts staring at Jack.

I dove into the bushes, and crawled onto the ground, praying that I wouldn't be spotted.

"Oh, bugger." I heard Jack.

He sprinkled a little paprika onto his armpits, "Little seasoning. Aye?"

I smiled silently, good old Jack. Always trying to lighten up the situation. But now he was caught and I was free. His little escape plan backfired. Oh the irony, but I wasn't going to help this ex-friend out of danger. After all what had he done for me?

Jack was returned to the campsite and tied to a stick. The cannibals danced wildly around him and it brought me great pleasure to see this torment happen to the great Captain Jack Sparrow, commander of the _Black Pearl_.

One of the natives ran across the rope bridge carrying a torch and announced to the group with a worried expression on his face, "Ahhh! Fye-fye!" I guess this meant something bad by the panicked expression on the crowd.

"Ahhh! Fye-fye!" They repeated as if they were a classroom of children memorizing multiplication tables.

"Da latazo! Da leetozo! Hay la paka say-say." He explained.

They looked back at Jack hanging over the wood for leadership, "Well, go on! Go get them! Hay alla!"

"Hay alla!" They cried, "Alla, alla!"

In their rush to go to wherever they were going, one dropped the torch which lit the dry kindle on fire below Jack. It easily spread and the flames licked hungrily up the branches.

"No! No no! Oi! No no!"

"Not good." Jack spoke as the heat intensified; he started to blow futilely which only caused the wood to ignite more.

"Well, does Captain Jack Sparrow have an escape plan for this?" I asked, emerging from the greenery. There was a devilish grin spreading across my face.

"Rummy, love, help me from this!" He pleaded, trying to soften me up.

"Why? What have you done for me?" I asked innocently, we were both aware of the spreading flames.

"I'll give you gold, treasure! I'm sorry about the whole boat thing, mate." Perspiration was growing on his face, smearing the paint.

"There is one thing I want." I spoke business like, "A favor. If I ask for something, anything at all, you will give it to me, because I saved your life. Got it?" I hoped my plan would work.

"But isn't that sorta open ended?" He asked, "Maybe you should be more specific."

"Maybe you would like to be crispy."

"Fine, it's a deal love. I wish I could shake, but you know…"

"Anything at all." I reminded him.

"Right-o. Just get me down from here."

I kept my end of the promise and untied him from the pole. Perhaps this deal would work out in the end, but Jack Sparrow had a tendency to ignore the rules. We dashed across the bridge and made it onto the beach. My crew was already working on pushing the _Jade Chalice_ back into the water. It was the same with the _Black Pearl_.

I heard yelling and screeching behind us and saw that our captors were pursuing us. Jack and I sprinted down the clean beach, adrenaline in our blood. Jack was running like a moron, so I quickly passed him up. If he wanted to get caught, that was his problem. My lungs were about to burst and my legs were about to give out, but I grabbed a hold of the rigging and made it onto my ship, Jack did the same.

We cast off, the two ships sailing out at the same time. They looked like twins on the water, I heard Jack call out, "Alas, my children! This is the day you shall always remember as the day you almost-

Splash.

"Captain Jack… Sparrow."

**A/N: Thanks for reading! So now you must go to station two and review! Yo soy muy caliente! Chinchillas are friends not furs! Soylent green is people! Hobos are made of little pieces of awesome! A winner is you! **

**TheEvilTrafficCone Out!**

**Oh and Rummy could kick Desi's ass anytime anywhere! **


	5. Chapter 5: Stupidity

**A/N: Sorry about the long delays, it's taking forever for me to put these up, and now I'm sick and have so much homework so it's really hard. But thanks for the reviews aqua and WF! If it were not 4 u 2 I wouldn't bother updating. **

**Chapter 5**

I breathed a sigh of relief to be rid of that loathed island. My crew was equally grateful to be leaving and we all watched as the green spit of land sink into the distance. The two ships were matching their speeds knot for knot. The space in between them could easily be jumped.

"Toby! Man the ship, while I speak with Jack!" I ordered. My friend took the wheel and I gripped the rough twine rope and easily swung over to the other vessel. Gibbs and Jack were conversing. I needed to know where we would be heading next and Jack's plan.

"Let's put some distance between us and this island, and head out to the open sea." Gibbs commented as he scratched his multi colored beard.

"Yes to the first, yes to the second, but only insofar as we keep to the shallows as much as possible." Jack replied in his twisted manner.

"Uh, that seems a bit contradictory, Captain."

"I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs. Now where is that monkey? I want to shoot something."

"You know on my ship, you could talk to the captain without having to look up every word in a dictionary." I approached the two, "Jack, a word."

But it was too late; Jack's attention was directed to the monkey skeleton, scurrying around with Ragetti's eye. I wondered why Jack let those two buffoons on his ship anyway. From experience, I found out that they were the two most incompatible idiots who constantly bickered and managed to screw up even the most remedial jobs.

"Jackie boy!" I called snapping my fingers to get his attention.

Will came up beside me additionally frustrated.

"Ah." Jack asked.

"Elizabeth is in danger." Will gave him the stale information.

"He knows that already." I reminded Will.

"Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on 'er? Maybe just lock her up somewhere." Jack responded comically.

"She is locked up, in a prison, bound to hang for helping you!" His eyes grew with anger at Jack's uninterested appearance.

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes." Jack spoke nonchalantly.

That was it, Will whipped out a sword that belonged to a pirate who's back was turned and pointed it at Jack.

"Whoo, take it easy Will." I cautioned, "We'll get it don't worry."

"I need that compass of yours, Jack. I must trade it for her freedom."

"Are you working with him?" Jack asked me.

"Unfortunately I am. He has already proved to be quite unpredictable and stupid." I recalled.

Jack had a knowing expression on his face, "Quite, he tagged along on me adventures not long ago. But he is incredibly stupid at times, especially when it's got to do with his infatuation with his lass." Will was growing red, I don't know if it was because of anger or embarrassment but he hated how we talked about him, "Just a heads up, mate."

"The land lovers are a backwards folk." I mused.

Jack nodded, "Mister Gibbs!" He called.

"Cap'n."

"We have a need to travel up river." Jack announced.

"By need, d'you mean a… trifling need. ?uh?a… fleeting, as in say a passing fancy?" Gibbs questioned.

Jack responded, "No, a… resolute and unyielding need."

"What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste." Will reminded us all.

"She's not going anywhere, Will. They won't hang her yet, and Beckett won't expect this to be easy." I rationalized to Will.

"William… I shall trade you the Compass, if you will help me… to find this." Jack held up a worn and watermarked piece of parchment with a drawing of a key on it. I stifled a gasp; this was the very same key that Beckett wanted me to retrieve for him. If Jack could lead me to it, then I would have half the job done.

"You want me to find this?" He asked.

"No. You want you to find this. Because the finding this finds you incapaitorially finding/or locating and your discovering the detecting of a way to save your? Dolly?dotty belle ol'… what's-her-face. Savvy?"

**dog cocking head to side?rarhh?**

"Congratulations Jack, I think you may have created and or swore in some strange heathen language." I spoke with sarcasm.

Will held up the paper, studying it, "This… is going to save Elizabeth?" He spoke slowly.

"How much do you know of Davy Jones?" The Captain asked.

"Not much."

"Yeah, it's gonna save Elizabeth."

Now I knew that Will was stupid, but how could he have just not gotten that? It could be that he didn't care, all he wanted was to save his fiancé, but just taking Jack's word on that! Will was the one who still blindly trusted anyone and expected things to work out in the end.

"Jack, I need to know where we're going." I asked the very unique captain.

Jack turned around and snapped open his compass, the needle quavered from one extreme to the next, "Just follow my lead and we'll head to the west."

"Why not just tell me where it is?" I questioned him irritated.

"Why not just tell me where the Acoundi Island is?" Jack spoke disinterestedly.

"You're not gonna start this again." I spoke, "You're so conceited! I rescued you from that bloody island and this is how you repay me!" I yelled. All the crew onboard the ship heard me and looked at us strangely.

"Jack, you always said you got off that island by yourself." Gibbs approached Jack with a confused look.

"As how it was, I have no idea what she's talking about!" Jack laughed, "You know there are a lot of islands in this world."

"So Jack, you lied to the whole crew about your escape?" I asked, joining the crew with the interrogations.

"No comment!" Jack began backing up. He held his ringed hands up in defense.

Jack began getting a panicked expression on his face as he realized that he was losing control over his crew. If they knew he had been rescued from that island, then they would have little respect for their captain.

"That liar!" Some of the sailors began shouting.

"I wonder what other stuff he made up!"

"Quiet!" Gibbs shouted, "Jack, we want answers. I think you owe us some explanations." Gibbs cornered him as well as the crew.

"What-but... fine." Jack grumbled.

"So she rescued you from that island the first time." Gibbs spoke, trying to get everything sorted out.

"That's right." I elaborated.

"Look what you've done." Jack gave me a dirty look.

Gibbs proceeded to interrogating his captain, "So how did you escape the second time?"

Everyone looked at Jack expectantly; Will had a small smile on his face as he watched the spectacle.

"Umm, well that is hard to remember, you see I was really drunk-

"Jack!" The crew shouted.

"Okay, okay…. Okay…alright… okay, Elizabeth torched the rum to make a signal fire. Then Norrington picked us up and I heroically saved Will from Barbossa."

"You what!" I yelled taking a few threatening steps at Jack, "MY RUM WAS ON THAT ISLAND! How could you let her set it on fire?" I continued furiously.

"It wasn't my idea! And besides, you weren't coming back for it." Jack clarified.

"I WAS SAVING IT!" I pointed my finger at him threateningly, "I was gonna come back for it later."

"I'm so sorry for your loss; I told her not to burn it." Jack sympathized.

"Well that's not good enough." I glared at him. I then spun sharply on my foot and hopped the gap over to my ship, still brooding about my rum.

"Jack Sparrow, the biggest idiot to sail the seven seas." I said under my breath. I tried to count off the times he had put me in a rut, but I lost track after twenty five.

"Land ahead." One of my men told me.

"Is that where Jack is leading us?" Toby asked from behind me.

I looked out across the sails to see a small dark green shadow on the horizon. Jacks ship was pointed directly at it. "Yep, keep it steady and we should reach it soon." I ordered, "Lower the left sails, we can cruise for most of the way."

Toby clambered nimbly up the mast and untied the sails, the green material fell heavily to the deck and some of the crew folded it up. In no time, the small green shadow had ballooned into a whole scenery of jungle and mysteries. The _Black Pearl_ coasted silently into a narrow alcove sheltered from the elements.

Two long boats were lowered into the water and the crew loaded into them. I told my crew to do the same and soon we were heading down a dark river under a green canopy of leaves. The sun had sunken and dusk had taken over giving the forest a quiet and moody atmosphere. Fireflies darted across the reflective water and I could just catch glimpses of figures in the shadows of the trees. We glided up to a small shack built on long bamboo stilts that held it above the lagoon.

"No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are. Were. Have been. Before." Jack explained.

"I'll watch your back." Gibbs responded.

"It's me front I'm worried about."

Then after some confusion of who was gonna watch the boat, the large party entered the shack.

Candle light escaped from inside as Jack carefully opened the door, within, a snake hung from the ceiling, hissing. I looked around noting that it looked like a gypsy's fortune telling tent. Strange nick knacks were distributed everywhere inside the room. The lot of us pilled into the small space as Jack and Tia Dalma said hello.

"Jack Sparrow!" Tia Dalma explained in a heavy accent. Her dark hair frizzed around her head.

"Tia Dalma!" Jack greeted her, overly enthusiastic.

"I always knew de wind was goin' blow you back to me one day." She spoke; her teeth were dirty, as if she had taken a bite out of a clump of dirt.

She then spotted Will standing by the door and walked up to him, "You. You have a touch of… destiny about you, William Turner."

"You know me?" Will asked astonished, yet skeptical.

"You want to know me." She replied lucidly.

"There'll be no knowing here. We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." Jack said in the most confusing way possible. Then he whispered to Tia, "I thought I knew you."

"Not so well as I had hoped. Come." She beckoned in a voice enveloped in mystery.

"Come." Jack gestured.

"What… service… may I do you? Hmmm?" She asked seductively and caressed Will's chin. He seemed to be the most uncomfortable yet, "You know I demand payment."

Tia Dalma seemed to be very touchy feely, and didn't give a rat's ass about whatever people thought of her. She seemed like the standard friend of Jack Sparrow.

"I brought payment." Jack reassured her, "Look!" He cocked his pistol at Barbossa's monkey and blasted it, who was imprisoned in a cage.

"An undead monkey! Top that!"

Tia lifted the cage door and let the monkey scamper out.

"No! You've no idea how long it took us to catch that!" Gibbs spoke.

"The payment is fair." She replied.

"We're looking for this." Jack laid out the picture of the key, "And what it goes to."

"The Compass you bartered from me. It cannot lead you to dis?" Tia asked.

So that was where Jack got his "broken Compass" from.

"Maybe. Why?"

"Ayee… Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants! Or… do know, but are loathe to claim it as your own. Your key go to a chest, and it is what lay inside the chest you seek, don't it?" Tia Dalma elucidated.

"What is inside?" Gibbs asked.

"Gold! Jewels? Unclaimed properties of a valuable nature?" Pintel asked with wonder and excitement on his face, like a boy right before he opened a present.

Ragetti piped up, "Nothing… _bad_, I hope."

"An organ." I lazily offered.

"How could something that big fit in a chest?" Ragetti asked stupidly.

I scoffed at him, "Not and organ, an _organ_."

Tia Dalma looked annoyed at my knowledge, like I was intruding on her turf, "You know of… Davy Jones, yes?" She challenged me, "A man of de sea. A great sailor, until he ran afoul of dat which vex all men."

"What vexes all men?" Asked Will.

"What, indeed." Tia smiled, enjoying the sweetness of withholding information.

"The sea?"

"Sums!"

"Dichotomy of good and evil?"

"A woman." Jack spoke matter-o-factly.

"A wo- man. He fell in love." She told them all.

"No-no-no-no. I heard it was the sea he fell in love with." Gibbs explained.

"Same story, different versions, and all are true. See, it was a woman, as changing, and harsh, and untamable as the sea. Him never stopped loving her. But the pain is cause 'im was too much to live wid. But not enough to cause him to die."

"What… exactly did he put into the chest?" Will asked, allured by the story.

"Him heart." She spoke heavily.

"Literally, or figuratively." Ragetti asked.

"He couldn't li'erally put his heart into a chest! Could he?" There they go; Pintel and Ragetti began to quarrel.

"It was not wort' feeling what… small fleeting joy life brings, and so… he carved out him heart, lock it away in a chest, and hide de chest from the world. De keys, he keep wid him at all times." Tia Dalma ended her tale.

"You knew this? Both of you!" Will realized as he looked at me and Jack.

"I did not. I didn't know where the key was. But now we do. So all that's left is to climb aboard the _Flying Dutchman_, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save your bonny lass, hey!" Jack went over.

"Let me see your hand." Tia Dalma unwrapped the cloth around Jack's fist.

"Uhhh! The black spot!" Gibbs took a step back, fearful. I saw a purplish, black mark on Jack's outstretched palm.

Gibbs wiped his hands on his shirt, spun around once to the left and spit. **A/N: Freeze! Everybody clap your hands!"**

"Black spot!"

"Black spot!"

Pintel and Ragetti copied him.

"My eyes sight's as good as ever, just so you know." Jack replied dryly.

Tia Dalma brushed past her beaded strings that hung in the doorway and returned with what looked like a jar of dirt. Jack quickly tried to swipe a ring off of her table.

"Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but once every ten years. Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. And so you will carry land wid you…" She handed Jack the jar of dirt.

"Dirt? This is a jar of dirt."

"Yes?"

"Is the… jar of dirt going to help?" He asked.

"If you don' want it, give it back." Tia smiled knowingly.

"No." Jack clutched it tightly.

"Den it helps."

"It seems… we have a need to find the _Flying Dutchman_." Will started.

"A touch of destiny!" She threw down a pair of crab claws and studied them. Tia then told Jack where to find the ship.

I about had enough of this crap, I was leaving this stupid shack. This woman was off her rocker and she freaked me out.

"Hold it." Her voice ordered me.

I turned around.

"Is there nothing the Captain of the Jade Chalice wishes to ask me?" She probed.

I gave her a unfeeling stare, "No."

"Really, I know what you want. But you will soon find dat your meaning will change."

"Thanks for the heads up." I replied sarcastically. I left Tia Dalma with the rest of my crew at my rear as we prepared to head back. I decided to ignore what Tia Dalma had said to me, I didn't understand it, and didn't want to. I did not need a mystic telling me how to run my life. As for Jack, the black spot was his problem and all I needed to do was screw him over and steal the chest for my own purposes.

**A/N: I hope this wasn't too confusing. It's taking forever for this story to unroll, by the time I finish it, it will be Christmas. Chinchillas are friends not furs. **

**TECT Out! I have a dirdle of dirt!**


	6. Chapter 6: All is Lost

**A/N: Well it's been so long, weeks and weeks since I last updated. But I feel no guilt b/c I'm not letting down any1. Just my close friends, but they know how busy and sleep deprived I am. Between soccer, school, and homework, I have no time. Just a heads up, this chapter is really gory and emo. So if ur squeamish or something, beware. I have had this chapter in my head for weeks so finally at long last it's on paper! Eat your hearts out my friends; it tastes all the sweeter when you haven't had ur fix in weeks. **

**P.S. There is a lot of profanity in this chapter too. (smirk).**

**Chapter 6**

The night went strangely after we returned to our ships floating in the dark and empty cove. Most of the crew on the _Black Pearl_ was absolutely ecstatic to be bunking next to a rum runner. Rum + Pirates Crazy Party.

So the boys were bouncing off the walls that night. Gunshots, music, laughter, and drunken stunts filled the night and the early morning. My crew and Jack's crew mingled, hopping from one ship to the other to hang out and join in the pleasure.

I will get drunk (it would be pretty ironic if I didn't) and I will admit that I've done some stupid things under the influence, but I know my limit. On the other hand, you've got Jack who's been in a drunken stupor for the majority of his whole life. When he's drunk, he so Jack-ish that I can't even explain it.

Anyways, during our party, some of the crew members decided to play, Let's Jump Off of the Crow's Nest and Dive Into the Water. Hmm, I wonder how you play? Nevertheless, I wasn't too tipsy when I noticed my sailors scampering up the _Black Pearl's_ mast. I was talking to Will at the time, who was one of the only ones who remained sane that night.

"Dammit! What the hell are they doing?" I asked Will, who was slowly sipping some of my rum.

"I think they're diving." He confirmed my suspicions.

"Hey is my crew up there?" I yelled across the gap to Toby who was in the mob of people that had gathered around the wooden pole, watching and egging the men on as they climbed.

"Cleveland's up there." Toby informed me over the hooting of the pirates.

This was pissing me off, there was no way I was gonna let my crew kill themselves doing stupid things like this. Honestly, they were a bunch of children, and if I had not been there, most of them wouldn't be around.

"Hold my rum." I handed the half emptied bottle to Will who was watching the men goof off at the top. I was just waiting for Cleveland to fall. He was the always the trouble maker, and constantly questioned my authority. He had long brown hair and ice blue eyes, and always wore a mischievous smirk on his tanned face whenever I was yelling at him. He was the showoff, the one who begged for attention, and this stunt was the best way he could come up with to accomplish that.

"Cleveland!" I shrilly yelled at him, like a mother catching her child playing in the dirt, "I'm gonna bust a cap in your ass if you jump off!"

Cleveland, knowing that there was nothing I could do to stop him, and feeling the other men's eyes on him didn't back down, "Oh, but mother, I just wanted to have some fun!" He mocked me.

"That's an order!"

"Go on Cleveland, show er' what 'er made of. Unless ye be afraid of the she devil's wrath?" Gibbs laughed, tung hanging out and holding three bottles of rum.

"You got money to pay for that?" I asked him with authority.

He just scowled at me.

"Come and get me, lassie!" Cleveland yelled down to me.

I felt rage boil in my blood, how dare that idiotic moron call me that! It was Captain, nothing else, this was open disrespect. I had never tolerated being hooted at or stereotyped by mycrew! _I_ was the one who gave them their pay checks, _they_ were the ones who obeyed me, no questions asked.

"That's it, Toby, hold this!" I ordered my first mate to keep my sword and pistol safe, "When I get up there Cleveland, you won't be sailing under my colors anymore!" I threatened. Cleveland ignored me, dancing around on the thin rope, acting all frightened and worried.

I threw myself onto the mast and started to climb up the stakes hammered into the side. This was being watched by both crews. Jack Sparrow was sitting up there with Cleveland, his feet hanging over the side of the bird's nest. Obviously he had passed out in the barrel. I had almost reached the top when Cleveland stood over me, his feet close to my hands. Instantly I realized my mistake. How could I have missed all the warning signs?

Cleveland looked at me with that same smirk, only now it was mixed with ambition and power. Oh shit, ran through my mind like a hundred times. Realizing I was probably in the worst spot possible, and had no weapons I asked him, "So Cleveland, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. Running a ship's a big responsibility." I played out the only card I had left.

"Indeed it is. But Rummy, you did have a good run. I'm so sorry it had to end like this." He was done playing games, I only wondered if he had planned this all along, or if it was just an opportune moment.

"But a ship is no place for a woman. Every second under your command, was a waste of my time. I should have knocked you up and taken over from the start. That's what I would have done if it weren't for you're muscle man." He showed his true, sinister nature.

My hands were beginning to sweat, I knew, one kick in the face from him and I would crash to the deck, my body crumpling as my vertebrae snapped. This was the end for me.

"That would be too easy, though." Cleveland continued, "And anyways if I just kicked you off, there would be no way the crew would follow me. I know there are loyalists in there still, so how 'bout we settle this equally." He offered.

"Fine." I saw him reach out with his hand. He held it up to me, offering it as if everything was alright. But something wasn't right, he wanted to have a fair fight in the Crow's Nest so that way he could claim that he won the _Jade Chalice_ fairly, but there was an even more fool proofed way.

As I grabbed onto his hand, I felt him start to help me up, but then his grip loosened. Cleveland was going to stage this as an accident. To counter this, I dug my nails into his wrists, holding on tightly and pulling him foreword, out of the crow's nest. He managed to release his hands from mine and push me backwards. I tottered precariously on the rungs, feeling only air behind me. Time seemed to flow like molasses, my boots began to lose their grip and I could feel myself falling.

Cleveland had a triumphant smile on his lips and pleasantly looked at my wide eyed expression. I was going down; I felt the thrill in the pit of my stomach and knew there was nothing to keep me from dropping. Cleveland's face would be the last thing I would see, his smirk my last memory.

A whoosh zoomed past me, I felt wind blow past my face, and I saw it all. Cleveland's eyes were looking at me, and then grew white. I felt a hot, sticky liquid spill onto my face and Cleveland's body get jerked to the side. Blood came pouring out of his mouth as if he were a gargoyle. Flecks of white hit me and I saw the side of his head buckle in. Before anything registered in my mind, a rope dangled in front of me as if it were sent by an angel. As I grabbed it, the cord ripped and burned through my skin. I held onto it tightly, swinging around the mast. The safety line was slowing my fall. As I slid down the rope, I took one last amazed gaze at Cleveland's harpooned head.

My body tumbled to the ground, rolling across the hard, dirty wood. I lay on my back for a second, trying to sort through what had just happened. My memory replayed the part where the sharp speared tip of the harpoon easily pierced the side of Cleveland's head as if it were a grape. Brain matter and scull had hung out of his head like spaghetti. The next person I saw was Toby; he helped me up because I was unstable on my feet.

"Toby, did you do that?" I asked seeing his relieved expression as he nodded.

"That was too close." He commented, "Here, I'll tell the crew to return back to our ship. Why don't you sit down."

He gathered all the men up and herded them back, they all remained silent, seeing one of their fellow sailor's head's pinned to the mast.

After a few minutes, I regained my composure. I wasn't weak, I've seen things just as bad before, it's just I was a little shocked at coming so close to death and all. I also felt stupid for being tricked into coming up there and falling for Cleveland's trap.

Toby found me in my cabin later that night/morning? It was already starting to grow light, and most of the crew had gotten no sleep that night. I groaned, this would be fantastic; most of my crew had hangovers, so we would be very short on man power.

"Hey Toby." I greeted my friend, he seemed to not be as tired as the rest of us, "I really appreciate you taking care of the crew and Cleveland for me."

"No problem," He sat down, "It was the least I could do. Are you all right?" He asked concerned.

"Yeah," I replied defensively, "It's not like I'm gonna let that get to me."

"Are you sure, you don't have to keep your walls up all the time. I never know what your feeling." He sighed, his broad shoulders slackened.

"Yes I do, look what happened today! I should have seen this coming. I never sensed anything disturbingly wrong with Cleveland. Sure he was an ass, but…" I trailed off bitterly.

"Rummy, you're taking this too personally. Just give it some time and you'll feel better." He tried to reassure me, that's what he did. He was the one person that always was there for me. I had no family that could substitute for his concern.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Toby. Just because I'm a woman, everyone automatically stereotypes me as a weak person. I have to constantly prove them wrong, it never ends." I rubbed my hands across my face exasperated.

"I know, we've been friends ever since I can remember. But you need to get some rest now. I'll stay at the helm for awhile okay?" He compromised.

"Yeah, see you in the morning." I told Toby.

I pretty much fell on my bed, exhausted. Sleep was a wonderful thing, more precious than gold, but even harder to find. Thank God for Toby, if he hadn't of….

* * *

I awoke on the cold, hard floor. Sleep still fogged my mind, where am I, what happened? For about a minute, the momentary memory loss had me confused. What time was it? I rubbed my eyes, trying to see straight. Were those voices or something? I could hear faint yelling through the walls.

An ear splitting explosion startled me. One second I was standing, the next I was thrown against the small walls of my cabin. I cracked my head on the floor and felt a concentrated pain burst at the spot. Wood flew everywhere and water spurted up through the wood. I looked on dumbfoundedly at the sun shining merrily at the ocean. Why was there a hole in the wall?

I shook my head, trying to make sense of the situation; water had already risen to my waste, all I knew was I needed to get to the deck. I climbed the stairs two at a time and threw open the wooden hatch. Udder chaos ensued. My crew was running around madly, loading cannons, carrying guns and weapons, or just fleeing for their lives from the huge grey tentacles that were butchering them.

I saw one man running to the side of the boat, about to jump off when he was lifted straight off the ground by a fleshy tendril and ripped apart. His legs landed beside me, oh my God!

Panic, fear, terror, they all were raging inside me. I pulled my sword out on instinct but felt it was as much useful as a toothpick. The mast had already fallen, and debris was hailing down onto the boat. I had no idea what to do? How do you fight something like this?

Looking around me and calling for Toby, I ran up to where the men were loading the cannon. "How many cannon's are being loaded?" I asked over the loud screaming.

"All of them Captain!" One responded, he was young, fear in his eyes. He seemed barely older than seventeen. So much time left, I couldn't let my men die this way.

"Have you seen Toby?" I asked.

"He was here." The boy responded, "But then ran down below decks to get more ammo."

"Okay, where's the _Black Pearl_? Signal to her to get them to come over here and help us out!" I ordered.

I left them and ran back down to find Toby. It was too dangerous to be below the decks, he could easily get trapped and drown.

"Toby!" I yelled, my voice echoing around the empty room. I was soaked, ocean water sprayed up at me from a crack in the side of the ship. The old wood groaned under the pressure. Shit! Shit! Shit! I approached the armory room with the supplies but it was empty, the vessel tossed me from one side to the next, rocking from one extreme to the other.

"Toby! Are you here!" I cried with desperation in my voice.

"Rummy!" I heard Toby's voice from behind me, he was soaked as well, his dark hair clung to his neck and around his ears. My fear was reflected in his eyes too.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you." He spoke out of breath, "Come on, the ship can't take this, that thing is gonna bring us down!"

"Right, did you call to the _Black Pearl_ for help?" I asked.

"Yes, several times, she hasn't come back."

We sloshed through the white water, climbing up the stairs. A shudder shook the craft and I actually saw iron bolts flying out under the force of the water.

"Hurry!" I yelled, we ran up the stairs as fast as humanly possible. The wood broke and I heard the rushing sound of water behind us. It bubbled up quickly at our feet. Toby threw open the trap door and we struggled out into the open.

I could see that things were not going good up here. The tentacles flailed and smashed into the deck creating large crevices. The ship was totaled, nobody had stayed at the cannons, they had either bailed or had been taken by the monster.

The ship started to tip over, something was weighing it down, I found out what. The head of the sea creature had emerged to the surface and now wrapped all its arms around the ship, pulling it down.

Its beak clicked mechanically **(It should have a beak, not teeth as in the movie, hmph!)** The white, round eyes had no lids, this seemed to give it a cross-eyed and stupid look.

Toby and I slid toward it, a tentacles came toward us, one of my arms grabbed onto the broken and splintered stump of the mast and the other onto Toby's hand. The pink suctions moved across the wood toward us, they were as big as a man's face and looked alien.

I heard Toby scream, it had wrapped it's tendril around his foot.

"Toby!" I yelled, feeling his hand slip out of mine. His grey eyes were wide with alarm.

"Hold on, don't let go!" I pushed myself to the limit, I could feel my muscles being stretched, that creature was not going to have my best friend!

Water washed over the _Jade Chalice_. It was sinking quickly, I had to let go of the mast or else I would get dragged down by the ship and the Kraken. My fingers were ripped off of it as me and Toby were dragged under water. He was still being grasped by the sea creature, which swiftly began to propel itself downward into the ocean.

No! I thought, Toby! Bubbles swirled around me as we twisted in the water. Toby looked up at me, dejectedly. His eyes had immense sadness to them as he pulled my hand from his.

I tried to hold on, but he pushed me off, I could feel myself being pushed back to the surface. Toby's body was dragged down into the dark and forbidding sea. His face had so much fear in it, and the water made his skin look deftly pale, a haunting image. He slowly grew smaller and smaller, the Kraken taking him down.

I don't know if it's possible to cry underwater, but that's what it felt like. I was so disoriented and spun around that I had no idea how to reach the surface, not like I actually wanted to. At this point, I was happy to just die; I didn't want to face the pain of seeing Toby being dragged down again. I didn't want to grieve. I was only faintly aware of the spiky and tight feeling in my chest, lungs running out of air.

Bursting out the carbon dioxide in me, I felt the sea rush in, energy left me, it seemed as if I was gonna get my wish. Blackness began clouding my vision, purple splotches enveloped me. My body was a rock, sinking. I could have easily made it to the surface…

**A/N!Yay! I actually finished it. So, is she dead, is Toby dead? How the hell should I know! I am going to try really hard to update sooner. Chinchillas are friends not furs! Soylent Green is people. Made out of real soy and lentils! Now available in red, yellow, and green!**

**TECT Out!**

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	7. Chapter 7: Angst

**A/N: Okay, so I managed to get another quick one in, this'll have to last u guys for another week. This is such an emotional chapter and didn't go as planned, so now I have to rethink what's gonna happen next. But anyways, enjoy! **

**Part 2**

**Chapter 7**

Darkness, a pounding darkness all around me. There were no more senses, no feeling, no taste, no sound, no sight, no smell, and no thought. Still, unmoving silence. No rhythm of life.

"Oy! In the water! Man over board!" A pirate called, spotting a slim figure floating limply in the debris filled sea, "Jack!"

Jack Sparrow, captain of the _Black Pearl_ was already on top of it. He dove off of the side of the ship and plunged into the churning ocean. His loose clothing slowing him down, but nonetheless he was an excellent swimmer. His arms and legs moved in unison. He may not have been a fast runner, but he sure was a fast swimmer.

Jack swam over the rolling waves, growing closer to the person in the water. He knew who it was, he knew why she was in the water, and he knew he was responsible for it.

The woman wore the normal pirate attire too, and like Jack, she was a captain, Captain Rummy. Jack reached her and pulled her head above the water. Her sopping wet beaded hair fell limply in the water, mirroring her body. Most of the color had drained from her face and Jack feared that it may have been too late.

A rope was thrown out to the two of them and Jack's crew pulled them up. The strong sea men carried Captain Rummy up and laid her on the deck. Jack bent over her with an unreadable expression. He first felt her pulse, none. She wasn't breathing either. She appeared to be fully dead.

Jack's guilt rose, but the only hint he gave was in the disjointed spasms of his ringed fingers. The crew surrounded the two, silent as the grave. Jack began to thrust down on Captain Rummy's chest to get her heart to start beating. When nothing happened, he put his lips to her pale ones and blew into her lungs. Come on! He thought. You're not gonna die this way!

He continued to do CPR, still remaining composed, on the third try when he was just about to give up, the woman coughed and spit up water. She sat up all of a sudden and looked around. Jack held her up, "Come on luv, breath." He spoke.

The crew was clapping and smiling, all were happy that the uptight captain that they had gotten to know was alright.

Jack was leaning over me as I "awoke". Water came out of my mouth and nose, and every other part of me. What had just happened? Jack was holding me up, "Come on luv, breath." The crew seemed to be cheering; they were all crowding around me. I looked up at the sunny sky, only a few white, wispy clouds floated across it. I rubbed my eyes and looked around again, was I on the _Black Pearl_? That name triggered something else in my memory; I looked out at the peaceful sea and recalled the great monster that had been produced by it. As if by chain reaction, I recalled the events that lead to this.

The Kraken, attacking my ship, sinking it. The tentacles, wrapping around Toby's leg and dragging him under, his lonely and terrified face being dragged down into the sea.

"Why am I still alive?" I croaked out

"Rummy! Do you remember what happened?" Jack asked apprehensively.

"Oh God! Toby's dead!" I broke out of his grasp, "I saw him… I saw him get pulled down by the Kraken." I whispered, feeling the wind chill my heart. His face…

Will brought me a blanket and draped it over my shoulders. He had concern written all over his face. I didn't try to wrap it around myself, I let it slip off and fall to the ground, it wasn't important.

"My ship! Gone! Toby! Gone!" I began to brake down.

"Rummy, get a hold of yourself." This was Jack speaking.

"His family! What the hell am I suppose to tell his wife and kids!" I cried hysterically. My eyes were wide with chaos. I wasn't supposed to be alive, I didn't want to wake up and face this!

"Rummy, it's going to be okay." Jack spoke awkwardly, trying to calm me down.

It then played back in my memory, _"Did you call to the Black Pearl?"_

_"Yes, several times, she hasn't come back." Toby answered._

My stomach sank, and I grew even colder, "Why didn't you come back?" I asked suddenly, "Why didn't you help us Jack?" My voice grew louder accusingly.

"Listen Rummy, we couldn't. It's not like that." He tried to hastily explain.

"You knew," I spoke softly at first, "Oh my God, you _knew_."

Will and the rest of the crew looked at their captain; they watched the whole dramatic scene evolve.

"The Kraken was never after us. It was after you, Jack!" I began to gain momentum, "Oh my God! You used us as a decoy!" I spoke almost disbelievingly.

"I never meant for this to happen! It was never supposed to be like this!" Jack tried to defend himself.

"You're the reason why he's dead, why I almost died, and why I have no ship! I hate you Jack Sparrow! I hate you!" I yelled at him, tears running down my face and rage ransacking my body. With that, I briskly walked down into the hull, not looking back. I hated Jack Sparrow, I wanted him dead.

I sat in the dark, next to the brig, with water rushing back and forth soaking my feet. I felt totally empty, devoid of emotion. I just sat there, being empty. Toby was dead. It was impossible how he could be jerked out of my life so quickly. I felt so alone, at least when he was here; I had someone to turn to. To keep me in check. He would tell me that I was not examining the situation fully, or that there was a simple solution and I just couldn't see it because of my emotions.

I pulled out a short, dagger that I kept strapped to my side. All I wanted to do was die; there was too much pain to go on. If I was dead, then I could end this torture, I would see Toby again. It seemed like such a better prospect than being trapped down at earth with the imperfect living. I pushed the point of the dagger into the tip of my thumb. It was sharp, the metal pierced the skin and my nerves sent a signal to my brain which registered the pain. I focused on the pain, I felt better. If I could concentrate on the physical pain, then the emotional pain didn't hurt so much.

"What am I doing here?" I spoke out loud, things didn't make sense anymore. I felt so lost. I felt so alone.

Footsteps came down the wooden stairs and candle light appeared. I quickly hid the dagger just in time to see Will's face. I must have looked horrible to him. My hair was a mess, my eyes were red, and I was dirty and smelled like salt water.

The bright candle light hurt my eyes; I had been sitting in complete darkness for about an hour.

"Rummy, I've been searching the whole ship to find you."

"What is it?" I asked my voice dry and unused.

Will sat down across from me on crate, "How are you feeling?"

I laughed spitefully, "Like shit."

"We found some survivors from your crew." He spoke uncomfortably.

I didn't respond.

"Hey, I'm worried about you," He started, "You shouldn't stay down here like this, you're gonna make yourself sick."

"I suppose that would set you back quite a bit. You still need my help to save your faultless little fiancé so you can marry her and live happily ever after." I could tell I hit a soft spot. I didn't want anyone else to be happy while I was miserable. I was determined to make everyone as dejected as much as I could.

"No, it's not that. I'm just concerned about you; I don't think your thinking straight." Will continued kindly as if I had not of said that last comment, "I know what it's like to lose someone so close to you and I'm sorry for Toby."

I just looked at the ground, avoiding eye contact; I didn't care if I was regressing back to childhood. I sighed, "I don't know what to do."

"It's going to hurt less as time goes on. It won't be like this forever. Toby was a strong and fine person. He'll always be remembered." Will added gently.

I couldn't hold it in anymore, I began to sob. I couldn't believe that he was gone; I was never going to see his face again. Will rubbed my back, comfortingly. When I had calmed down, I was able to look Will in the face again, "Thanks, thanks for coming down here Will."

"No problem. Will you come up now?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess."

**A/N: Okay, this was such a dark chapter, jeeze; I need to watch something funny now. And no I'm not a cutter! I didn't draw on personal experience to write that part. This is really weird, I don't think I've ever written a Jack/hate story before, but that's how it's turning out. Over the next couple of chapters, here's what you can expect, a total mental breakdown of Rummy, complications arise when Elizabeth arrives, and revenge! Please don't buy fur products, please! Soylent Green is people!**

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	8. Chapter 8: Manfish

**A/N: Oh man, this chapter took forever to put up and my brother wouldn't let me on. But the more I write, the more disturbing it gets. Thanks for the reviews, my closest friends, you know who you are. It would be really awesome if I could at least get some other reviews, hint hint, from different people. **

**Chapter 8**

It was happening all over again, the Kraken's slimy grey tentacle wrapped around Toby's leg, and this time I knew what would occur. I can't let this happen again! The ship went down along with us, the Kraken still holding tightly on to Toby, like a child with a new toy. We were sucked down into the water, I could barely hold onto his hand in the dark and tumultuous water.

He made me let go, forced my hand off his, and I knew I would not be able to save him, not like that time many years ago when Toby had merely gotten his foot stuck in the anchor. Then I could easily dive down and help him. I couldn't dive down to the ocean floor.

I watched his frightened expression for the millionth time. What could have happened down there? He must have suffocated; there was no fresh air to keep him alive. What did that monster do to him? Was Toby's dead body floating in the ocean somewhere?

"I know what you want, but you will soon find dat your meaning will change." Tia Dalma's heavy voice spoke with mystery, she smiled, her big brown eyes watching me. She was leading me on. I followed her gliding gait. We were somewhere dark; the settings were blurred and dead.

I saw Jack approaching, his boots clicked in the open space, I had know idea where we were. "You knew. Oh my God, you _knew_!" My voice echoed around.

Jack didn't respond he just stood there watching me; it was as if he and I were on different frequencies. I felt myself coming at him, hot rage torrid in my heart. Jack didn't even notice. He looked past me as if I weren't there. I tackled him and we both fell to the ground. My eyes were blurry, I couldn't see straight. I felt my hand slip to where my dagger was fastened to my waste and yank it out.

I could feel the hard, tangible dagger in my hand. It was the only thing I could rely on, it was the only thing I could trust. Without thinking, I began to thrust the blade into Jack, his chest resisted at first, but then it slid through easily. I repeatedly stabbed him, it was better this way. Jack's face switched to horror, but he didn't scream, instead he just opened his mouth in shock. He had caused Toby to die and my life to disintegrate! He _deserved_ to die!

I got up; hot, dark maroon blood covered my hands. Jack lay in a pool of it, unmoving. He was just sprawled out, totally dead. I had never seen Jack like this, so…still. The pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow was no more.

Darkness surrounded me; I was lying in my bed panting. I looked to the floor, there was no dead Jack Sparrow, but then why was there blood? The dark shadow of it was all over my sheets, it covered my hands, it seemed to be everywhere.

My body convulsed with trembles, what was happening?

"Help!" I screamed in the still night.

I tumbled out of bed, kicking the stained sheets off, "Help me!" I pleaded for someone to come.

A person ran up to the door and threw it open. I couldn't see who they were in the darkness until he held up an almost expired candle. Gibbs was standing there.

"What is it, miss?" Gibbs asked out of breath.

I didn't speak, I couldn't. But he saw that I was covered in blood. He knelt down, "What in blazes did you do?" He asked as he looked at my bloody, trembling hands.

"I killed Jack." My voice quavered.

"What?"

"I killed him."

"That's impossible; Jack was with me a minute ago." Gibbs responded confused, "This is _your_ blood."

And as I looked closer I could tell that he was right, a blade's mark had cut a quarter of an inch into my palms. I had not even felt the pain, but now that I looked at the injury, I could feel the twinge and sting as I opened and closed my hands.

I slowly got up, "I need some air." I spoke despondently.

"Want me to bandage your hands up for you miss?" Gibbs offered.

"No."

I felt so out of it, I was totally disorientated from my dream. It had felt so real, I actually had believed that I killed Jack, but Jack was alive. I stood out on the deck, looking over the side at the white caps rushing by. It must have been early morning because the sky was just starting to grow purple with light. I could see no landmarks at all around me; we were on the open ocean.

The fresh air helped a little, it woke me up. I was actually able to figure out what happened. I must have taken my sword out while I was asleep and grasped it tightly, that was how I cut myself. But something still seemed off, Tia Dalma had spoken in my dream, I remembered, she had told me that my meaning would change. What was she talking about? Did she mean that my purpose now was to kill Jack Sparrow?

You're mad Rummy, you're completely insane. I told myself, you haven't gotten any sleep; you're in a mental disaster. Yeah, that's all it had to be, I was just tired and stressed out. It wasn't like I was a murderer or something. If you kill someone in a dream, does that count?

"Oh my God," I groaned to myself, I could sense my muscles ache and my eyes felt like wood. This was not good; I didn't know how much longer I could go on like this. Droplets of blood ran down my arms and reminded me that I couldn't go back to sleep, not today at least. I couldn't trust myself to sleep. I was afraid of what my subconscious might do.

A strong wind blew through the sails just then, and I saw that storm clouds had materialized above me; there would apparently be bad weather coming. I sat on the deck, feeling the temperature drop and rain beginning to splatter the planks. It had rushed upon us in a hurry. The sky grew darker, it seemed like the storm was fighting the sun in an attempt to keep the skies night. The rest of the crew began to wake and relieve the night's watchman in the crow's nest from his duties.

Soon Jack appeared, he did not look at me, he did not even give a backwards glance at me. I wondered if Gibbs had told him of my dream.

"Captain!" One of the men shouted out, I almost responded until I realized they were calling Jack.

"The Flying Dutchman." I heard him call out, "Steady men, anchor her down!" Jack ordered.

I followed their gaze towards a wrecked and aged scuttled ship that had been snatched out of the water by black, cold rocks jutting out of the sea. To the side, the black rocks continued, forming a small forbidding inlet that looked as lifeless as the ship it had taken.

"That's the Flying Dutchman? She doesn't look like much." Will spoke up, coming up beside Jack.

"Neither do you. Do not underestimate her." Jack replied, he had taken on a knowing tone.

I just caught something between Gibbs and Jack, a quick glance perhaps? They knew something.

"Must've run afoul on the reef." Gibbs put on a phony voice.

"So what's your plan then?" The pirate captain asked.

"I row over; search the ship until I find your bloody key." Will explained.

"And if there are crewmen?" Jack challenged.

"I cut down anyone in my path."

"I like it, simple, easy to remember." Jack spoke in his Jack-isk kinda way.

I appeared behind them, "I'd better help Will out, after all I'm supposed to make sure he doesn't kill himself right?"

"Be my guest," Jack smiled, he knew, "Although perhaps there may be another reason why Captain Rummy is so eager to leave the _Black Pearl_."

I didn't bother to respond to that. So maybe I wanted to get away from Jack, it just felt too creepy to be by him. I had no idea what I might do.

"Your chariot awaits you, sire! Ha, ha-ha-ha, ha-ha!" That was Ragetti with the life boat.

"Hey! If you do happen to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt! Might save your life!" Jack added last minute.

"Bon voyage! Ha-ha-ha!"

"Douse the lamps." Jack commanded.

We both rowed, me with some cloth tied around my hands to keep the cuts from bleeding. It was silent for a while, there was just the sloshing of the foul smelling water against the wooden boat, but then Will spoke up.

"What happened to your hands?" He asked in his concerned voice.

"Oh, you didn't hear? I thought I woke up the whole ship." I spoke caustically, "Um I cut my hands while I was asleep." I left out the part about Jack.

"Oh, that's weird." He responded to fill the gaping silence.

"Why do you think Jack is really sending us over here?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"Jack and Gibbs, I heard them talking to you, they know something's up but didn't bother to clue us in on it."

"I stopped trying to find out what Jack was really up to a long time ago." Will sighed tiredly, "Besides, I trust him. He may be in it for himself, but he wouldn't just stand by and let something happen to us. He's not _that_ bad."

"I suppose he didn't stand by and watch my ship get smashed by the Kraken then."

"But he saved your life, Rummy." Will reminded me as he rowed with his strong arms.

"Did he?" I asked in an inattentive tenor.

Our little boat came upon the tall, wet side of the ship, we climbed aboard and this is what I saw: the ship was literally in ruins, we passed a dead sailor, propped up behind a net like rigging, and another one alive, who was wounded and seemed to be in shock.

Will cautiously approached him, holding the lantern up to him in the storm. The wounded sailor yanked mechanically on a pulley desperately, muttering to himself.

"…up the…"

"Sailor!" Will called.

"…the stench…capsized…"

"Sailor!" Will tried again.

"…bring a…"

"There's no use, you've run aground." He answered the terrified man.

"No! Beneath us! Foul beneath us!" He exclaimed, his face deathly pale.

"What foul? What are you talking about?" I asked, foreboding entering me.

Something fell from a height, making a plopping splash in the water behind us.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Hey! Hey!" Will went over to investigate, I was behind him. It was a man lying motionless facedown. Will turned him over to see his face, what the hell! There was no face. It was just blank, puckered up skin that bulged outward. It was sick!

"Oh…my…God! That used to be a face!" I cried out.

And then they were upon us, sea creatures overran the ship surrounding us, Will and I were outnumbered beyond belief. These…things just overtook us. They were like manfish or something, but the ugliest creatures I had ever seen.

"Down on you marrow bones and pray!" One of them shouted.

Will put on a fight, I gave him an E for effort; he dipped his sword in oil, and then lit it on fire, "Get back! Back!" He tried to ward them off.

I also took out my sword, but could not match the creativity of Will's flaming sword so I did it the old fashioned way, chop and slice, chop and slice. Mmm we're having fish today!

Despite our awesome and heroic fighting, they creamed us. Before long we were cowering on our knees with this disgusting tentacle man glaring at us. There were six of us altogether, prisoners of this crew of the sea monsters. They laughed at us, but then quieted when their captain began to speak.

"Five men and one woman still alive, the rest have moved on." This pale manfish spoke with lobster legs twitching in his back, he reported to his captain.

The captain heedlessly lit a pipe in his claw, and the thump of his wooden leg could be heard ominously as he approached us.

"Do you fear death?" He blew smoke into one of the terrified sailor's faces, "Do you fear the dark abyss? All you deeds laid bare. All your sins punished. I can offer you an escape-uh." He spoke in a slimy tone.

"Don't listen to him!" Another man spoke, as he held a rosary tightly.

The captain walked slowly over to the sailor who had spoke out and asked, "Do you fear death?"

"I'll take my chances, Sir."

The thing responded, "To the depths."

The crew laughed mercilessly as the poor man's throat was slit and he was pushed overboard. That's the end of him.

"Cold blooded!- One of them accused.

"Life is cruel, why should the afterlife be any different? I offer you a choice. Join my crew, and postpone the judgment. One hundred years before the mast. Will ye serve?" He asked in an important and rising voice.

"I- I will, serve." Another crew member spoke timidly.

"Grand." The sea crew laughed harshly.

It came towards Will next, "You are neither dead nor dying. What is your purpose here?" He asked, tentacles always moving and twitching.

"Jack Sparrow sent me to settle his debt." Will spoke quickly.

"What is your purpose here?" It asked confused.

"Jack Sparrow. He sent me to settle his debt."

"Huh! Did he, now? I'm sorely tempted to accept that offer."

He then noticed me kneeling there. Yay! It's my turn.

"Ah, a woman on board. What is a woman doing so far out at sea?" He asked me, blowing smoke into my face.

"Jack Sparrow sent me too." I replied, trying to sound strong.

"Well Jack Sparrow seems to be quite persuasive, now. I'm curious, are you afraid of dying?"

"No, I would welcome it greatly." I replied coldly.

"Is there anything else I can interest you in? In return, you will serve me." He asked.

"Maybe." I answered, "If you can bring my friend back from the dead, then I will serve you."

**A/N: NO. NO NO! I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE LIKE THIS! Why must my chapter end like this! Crap! I just screwed this all up…. :-( **

**I have a dirdle of dirt.**

**TECT Out!**

**Now WF is going to be happy:-( damn it!**

**Oh…my…God! That used to be a face! I added that in just 4 u Aqua! So I hope u got ur jollies in.**


	9. Chapter 9: Reunited

**A/N: Badness, I procrastinated on this chapter. But it still got done, and if my friends were not grounded or busy, then they could read it. But anyways, there is whipping in this chapter, heads up. Please, please, please review! Is anyone out there? Can anyone hear me! (echoes around).**

**Chapter 9**

"No Rummy, don't do it!" Will spoke urgently in my ear, but it was too late.

"We have a contract." The captain drawled. I could just see the hunger in his eyes as he looked at me. "Welcome to the _Flying Dutchman_. I hope you'll find your stay comfortable, you'll give me your labor for one hundred years."

It was then that I realized the immensity of my decision. Was it really worth it? I would have Toby back, but what if he had to stay here? I didn't know.

I had not even given thought until now, but I recognized that this was Davy Jones in the flesh. My memory had been so preoccupied with everything around me.

"Well? Are you going to hold up your side of the deal?" I challenged.

"Certainly miss…"

"Rummy."

"Ah, I know. Yes my little pet, I will give you what you want." He took a step toward me, "The Kraken had fun with him." He whispered.

I felt a searing heat and brightness in my temple and closed my eyes, but as I did so, it only got whiter and hotter. I felt myself get knocked to the ground. My spine arched tightly and I felt my whole body tense up. Just when I thought that I couldn't bare the pain any longer, it suddenly stopped and I felt a refreshing wind blow over my face.

My hazel eyes fluttered open and at first I had no idea where I was, I was lying in a grey sand, dust floated down from the sky covering everything like snow in white powder. There was no sun, just a weak glow of light above. It seemed to be a vast desert. Occasionally there would be a few dismal rocks in the distance, but other than that it was very plain.

Something was at my feet. I bent down and picked it up, and curiously looked at it. It was mine, one of the nautical instruments that I had kept in my cabin. It looked different now. The once gleaming brass looked dull and dirty. The lenses were fogged up with beads of condensation.

I twisted around slowly and saw my ship looming eerily above me. I was taken back by how different it looked. Here it was, cracked in two, masts broken, wood splintered. A remnant of that terrible day. I was standing in a graveyard, Toby's graveyard. It was so soundless, so still, I almost believed that it had been always down here, always forgotten as if shut up in an attic never to be used again.

I walked slowly toward it, dust and sand swirling around me. The bottom of the sea was an alien place; nothing could come close to the amount of loneliness and secrets it contained. So many mysteries and parts of stories ending here. Toby's story had ended here.

"What is it?" A familiar voice echoed strangely around, I couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"Toby!" I called, swirling around and around, trying to locate where it was coming from.

"Rummy? Is that you!" Toby asked.

I saw someone standing amongst a pile of wood and wreckage. It was the proverbial figure that I had been so lost without. I could see the tall, strong outline standing there, head held high. He wore the tattered white shirt as the same day of the attack and long dark pants that flowed around his feet. His clean shaven face smiled up at me and I started to run up to him joyously. Everything would be all right, but I stopped about three feet away, hesitantly.

"Toby, is it actually you?" I asked, disbelievingly.

"Yes… I don't know what happened, I just remember being dragged down, away from you." He replied mystified.

My face was wet, I tried to hold it in, but couldn't. "I've been such a wreck since you passed away."

The distance was too far, he rushed up to me and held me tightly, I felt so secure in his arms, this was all I ever wanted. This was all I ever needed.

"It's alright Rummy, you're gonna be fine." He comforted me. He just held me for a moment, us both silent, us both remembering. I took a step back quickly, uncomfortably. Emptiness flowed into my heart.

"No, it's all messed up. It's my fault that you died; I should have done something and killed that thing." I spoke with self loathing, "And now your family, what about Christine?" I asked.

"Don't do this to yourself; it's not your fault, Rummy. You were a brilliant captain; I'm honored to serve under you." He spoke respectively.

"But you were the most devoted friend I ever had; you've been there for me my whole life. I let you down."

"No, don't ever say that!" He looked into my eyes, "If it weren't for you, I would have died down at the docks, remember?"

"Yeah," I did remember, suddenly I felt this sudden panic that time may be slipping away, the sun was growing brighter and Toby seemed to be fading.

"Listen Toby, I- I made a deal with Davy Jones to see you, I don't have much time left." I articulated urgently.

"You what?" His sharp and surprised tone of voice made me jump, "Rummy, don't tell me you have to serve him!" His eyes contained a strong emotion; I couldn't tell what it was.

I felt a sinking in my heart, "I did," I admitted.

"No! Rummy, you've gotta get out of that!" His strong arms grabbed me, but were weakening their grasp.

"I can't! He's- I made a deal! I can't back out of it, he agreed to let me see you. I can't lose you again!" My emotions welled up inside of me, it was almost time to go back, real life was dragging me with it. I wanted to stay down there with him forever; I never wanted to go back.

Toby was so faint; I could see right through him, but he managed to get one last thing in, "Rummy, I never said anything but I-

His voice cut off, and all I could see was blinding light once more. The hot throbbing in my head returned and I could feel hot tears run down my face as the intense light refused to let up. I felt jerked back into my body, thrown back onto earth.

Finally, I regained the ability to move my muscles and my eyes flew open. I gasped for fresh air, feeling my lungs move and my heart pound. I was back on the _Flying Dutchman_. It felt like my heart had been torn in two from that short encounter. Davy Jones had tormented me with what I could not have.

Will stood over me, concern in his eyes. He pulled me up to my fate. Davy Jones had his back turned to me disinterestedly.

"You've had enough diversion for today! Get to work you slimy bungling fools!" He shouted and then slammed the door behind him; we all heard the thump of his wooden leg as he descended down the stairs.

After that incident, the crew began to get back to their rhythm of work. Will and I were put immediately to employment, rising and lowering the sails, running from one side to the other, scrubbing the decks. Most of the crew looked at me with a mixed expression of interest and contempt. They were either really pleased to have a woman on board or they hated it. I tried to ignore their rude comments as much as I could. After a couple of hours, I barely took notice; I tried to remain as aloof as possible, not drawing attention to myself.

It seemed to always be dismal on the _Flying Dutchman_; dark clouds covered the sky, blanketing it from any sunny hope. A very fitting organ music rose from below the hull as if to accompany the mood of gloominess.

"Heave! Heave! Heave! Heave! Heave! Heave!" The crew yelled as they all pulled in unison to raise the mast tackle up which was attached to one of the large iron cannons being hoisted up.

"Secure the mast tackle, Mister Turner! Step to it!" A big, ugly manfish barked, who's name was Bo'sun. I knew not to cross paths with that thing; he was the second in rank amongst the crew. Will and I were at the bottom as we were new arrivals. Bo'sun's time was probably almost served.

Will and another man ran up to catch the slipping rope. This sailor's transformation had not been completed yet. He wore a grey, wool cap with the rest of his grungy cloths and had a starfish plastered to the side of his grey head. Long, straggly hair fell out from beneath his cap as they both tried to carry out Bo'sun's orders.

"Step aside!" Will shouted.

"Regain yourself!" The other crew member replied.

"Back!" Will yelled, getting distracted by the other man, meanwhile the rope was sliding away, off the deck.

"Let go, boy!" The man cried as they stumbled, getting in each other's way.

They both were straggling to get a grip on it when the sailor abruptly dropped the line and Will was dragged across the deck from the weight. The cannon fell with dead weight, it's momentum too strong. We all flinched as it crashed through the deck and the eerie organ music stopped, leaving only silence.

"Haul that weevil to his feet!" Bo'sun ordered, pissed.

Will was roughly pulled up, and stood with courage in front of the fuming monsters before him.

"Five lashes to remind you… to stay on em'!" He bellowed.

"No!" The sailor who had dropped the rope in the first place cut in.

"Impending me duties? You'll share the punishment." Bo'sun ordered with fury.

"I'll take it all." The man replied bravely, even though he stuttered.

"Will you now? And what would prompt such an act of charity?" Davy Jones came up from behind, everyone turned to stare at him expecting him to be furious, but only amusement played on his face.

"My son. He's my son." I heard him say just audible.

I was shocked, I had no idea Will's father was a pirate, but then again I didn't know anything about him at all. It looked like Will was even more surprised than me.

"Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha! What fortuitous circumstance be this! Five lashes be owed. I believe it is." Davy Jones shook with laughter.

Jone's tentacle curled around the shaft of the whip, handing it heavily to Will's father.

He begged, "No. No, I won't!"

"The cat's out of the bag, Mister Turner. Your issue will feel its sting be it the Bo'sun's hand, or your own." Davy Jones made a good point.

"No." Senior Turner still refused.

"Bo'sun!" Jones called.** (Whipping ahead, just to forewarn you guys. I know some of my readers don't like this part.)**

"No!" But he did reluctantly take the whip. The crew tore Will's white shirt off, exposing his bare back. At first, I thought he wouldn't do it, but somehow, Will's father gathered up the courage and cracked the whip. Will flinched as it struck his bare skin, his muscles tensing. A red, bloody welt was left, to serve as a reminder for the rest of his life. I could only imagine how much pain Will must have been in, but he took it like a man and held his tongue.

Another crack, with the same results. All of the pirates watched, their thirst for violence being quenched. Will's body tensed again, as if going into spasms. He gripped tightly onto the mast, trying to focus his pain on something else.

The third one made contact with the same results. Dark, red blood trickled down Will's back. He almost was knocked down to his feet. It sure didn't look like Will's father was going easy on him.

The fourth one came down, and I felt a force inside of me rise up, this had to stop, I couldn't let this go on any longer. It was too painful to watch. How could a father do this, let this happen to their child?

On the fifth one I burst out through the crowd and outstretched my arm. I felt the wind and the high pitched sound of the cord slashing through the air. An instant later, it burned into my arm and the black cable wrapped around my limb like some poisonous snake. I hulled it foreword, yanking it out of the hands of Will's father.

"Do what you want with me! Just let this interminable torture end!" I cried fiercely.

Everyone was silent at first, and then an outcry of rage erupted from the crowd. Davy Jones looked at me, "I knew you had fire in yer belly, it just proves how you women can be quiet difficult sometimes." He huffed.

"You had it easy, boy! Ha ha ha!" I heard Bo'sun yell.

"Whip her!" Some yelled, "The witch should be punished!"

I held the whip tightly in my hand, ready to defend myself if possible.

I raised the whip over my head and brought it down with as much force as possible onto Davy Jone's slimy head. It whistled through the air as it came slicing down. A flash of metal sprang up and in a split second, the cord was in two pieces. Jones held up his sword, face set like steel.

With that same lightning fast speed he struck me square in the chest, and I collapsed to the ground. I struggled to get air into my lungs; it felt like my heart had been jolted out of me. My ribs ached and my lungs burned. It seemed like I had forgotten how to suck in air, was I choking? I felt my body shake with coughs. I lied their, forcing my self to take short, small breaths. Every breath was an effort and I felt my chest tremble. I just managed to see Jones walk away, just like he had done when I had awoke from my vision of Toby. He acted again like he didn't care.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I still struggled to breath, someone stood over me. I looked up and saw Will's father. He held out a hand, I took it gratefully.

"You…you stood up to him." He spoke quietly, sadness in his voice.

I sat down heavily, gradually recovering from the wind being knocked out of me. "Is that…is that not… common?" I struggled to get out, hoarsely.

"No, no it isn't. But thank you." He replied.

"I can see Will… gets his kind heart… from you." I panted, looking up at the older man.

"He hates me, I can tell."

"No. Just go over…and explain to him." I tried to encourage him. Will's father wasn't a bad man. I'm sure Will could learn to see that.

"I'm, well people call me Bootstrap by the way." He introduced himself.

"I'm Rummy, go." I spoke as I saw him hesitate, but he gathered up the courage, entering down onto the lower decks carefully, where Will was.

"William!" He called.

"I don't need your help!" Will shouted back at him, his back still a bloody mess and inflamed.

"The Bo'sun prides himself on cleaving flesh from bone. With every swing."

"So I'm to understand what you did was an act of compassion?" Will's angry voice rang out; I had never heard him so mad.

"Yes." Bootstrap replied.

At that, Will began to lose his grip on his temper and it slowly began to leave his face. I had finally caught my breath and came in to where they stood silently. Will looked at his feet and his father looked anywhere else, but not at his son who he had injured.

"Will, are you alright?" I asked coming up to him.

"Yes…no."

I wetted a rag with what was at least the cleanest water I could find on the ship and carefully dabbed his wounds, trying to clean them up so they wouldn't get infected. Will remained still, looking at his feet.

After putting on a clean shirt, Bootstrap lead us down into the interior of the ship. We entered a hallway lit by torches; the walls were encrusted with coral and sea scum.

"One hundred years before the mast, losing your world, bit by bit. Until you end up- end up like poor Wyvern here. Once you've sworn an oath to the _Dutchman_, there's no leaving it. Not until you debt is paid." Bootstrap said darkly.

"I've sworn no oath." Will told him.

"Then you must get away."

"Speak for yourself." I drearily replied.

"Not until we find this. The key." Ah that thing, I had forgotten all about it. It hardly seemed important now, that had only mattered in the life before, when I was only under the bondage of Beckett and not the supreme lord of the sea.

Wyvern's eyes opened, he seemed to break himself away from the wall at the mention of the key, leaving his brains behind.

"The deadman's chest."

"What do you know of this?" Will asked.

"Open the chest with the key and stab the heart. No-no-no-no. Don't stab the heart. The _Dutchman_ needs a living heart, or they'll be no captain. And if there's no captain, there's no one to have the key." He exhaled this information upon us.

"So the captain has the key." Will questioned.

Wyvern retracted his head back into the wall and tightly shut his eyes.

"Where is the key?" Will tried again.

"Hidden."

"Where is the chest?"

"Hidden."

**A/N: Okay I gotta go cuz it's almost 11 and it's thundering out. I'll Update and all the stuff I usually put in ect. And the storm alarms go off...**


	10. Chapter 10: Loners

**A/N: Just a head's up, there is the long awaited flashback in this chapter. One that you will all be like WTF what the hell is going on? But anyways, I think some parts are confusing and not written well. At least it's long. **

**Chapter 10**

"Whaterou doin down ere?" One of the disfigured crew men intimidated at the three of us.

"Just show'in em where we keep the rigging." Bootstrap responded quickly.

The manfish grunted and barged past us on his way down.

As soon as we reached the decks, a large, smelly pirate with a head shaped like a stingray approached me, "Captain want's ya down in his quarters." He sneered.

"Does the captain have a reason?" I addressed him with little esteem.

"Captain's orders should be enough." He sniffed, his black, widely spaced eyes filled with coldness.

"Where-

"Follow the organ music." He cut me off, pushing me down into the cold interior of the boat.

"You could have given me a God-damn light." I muttered as he slammed the wooden hatch heavily behind me. It was almost pitch black on the steep wooden stairs. I could here the shrill wavering of the music winding up from the bottom. How the hell do you get something like that down here? I wondered. It was a ship, not a concert hall.

I stumbled to solid ground and felt for a door of some kind. My hands brushed against part of the wall that bulged out, protruding. Handle….handle….where is the freakin handle! Oh, there it is, on the other side. I pushed and entered a dim room lit by tall wax candles. Sitting on a dull, velvet bench was Davy Jones, weaving back and forth over the keys of the organ with his tentacles. He swayed to the music, and the ship seemed to sway to him. The notes echoed around the oddly high-ceiling cavern of a room. He did not look up from his music, but continued to intricately create the sad melody.

I stood there, out of place, waiting for him to get done. When he had finished, I had no idea if I should clap or compliment him. I was impressed with his playing, not like I had ever had listened to much music in my life. Instead, I responded by silence.

"Rummy," He puffed, "Have a seat."

I hesitantly sat down on a moth eaten auto man that looked as if it had not seen the light of day in centuries. The legs were carved convolutedly into the heads of lions with their mouths open in a roar. Dust clouded around it as I disturbed the old cushions.

"Do you know any Beethoven?" He asked.

"No, I can't say I do." I restated dryly.

"Come now, everyone's heard of him. He's more popular than Queen Elizabeth." Davy Jones made conversation.

"Why have you brought me down here?" I questioned, trying to break his stupid monologue.

"Ah, straight to the point." He grinned devilishly, "Perhaps simply because I am curious. Curious to get to know you, Rummy. Maybe because I feel like I've seen you before in a passed life, in a passed happiness."

"I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that." I responded without emotion.

"And you will be too, Rummy. Do you know who you remind me of?" He asked, his eyes scanning me up and down.

"No."

He chuckled, "You remind me of myself."

My eyes grew dark with hatred, "And what exactly are you basing this off of? The fact that you've only known me for a few hours, or that you're losing your sanity, you bastard!" I threatened.

"The fact that you've let me see into your life easier than I can see you sitting right there." He mocked me with a smile curling on his lips.

"You're a liar." I denied his accusation.

"I don't believe that's true." He enjoyed himself, leaning back a little, "You see, when you wanted me to show you your little friend Toby, I had to search your mind for memories of him. I then compiled an image based off of those memories to give you that experience. I know everything that's happened to you from the moment you were born to this very second. All that's been imprinted on your mind."

"Shut up! You don't know me! You have no idea who I am!" I shouted.

"Really?" He questioned, "What about that time you saved Toby at the docks, or the time you challenged Barbossa." He cackled, "Oh and what's his face, Shyam, I know all about your encounter with him. I really had a good laugh at that one."

"Shut the hell up!" My voice exploded in fury, "You have no right!"

He laughed again, enjoying my frustration, "Would you like to go back to that repressed memory perhaps, would you care to relive it?"

I heard the voices of the tavern filling my head, many voices, "Get out of my head!" I screeched, pulling my hands up to my ears and trying to block out the noises. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on anything that would stop that recollection from being brought back to the surface. I had spent the rest of my life trying to forget about it.

Go away, go away, it's not there, it never happened. When I opened my eyes, the familiar dirty glass mug was sitting on the counter filled with an amber liquid. I felt myself feel the same hopeless emotions I had gone through thirteen years ago. I was nineteen at the time, still young and without a ship. During that period of my life, I was working as a merchant's hand, being apprenticed by some of the sailors who had agreed to teach me what they could. It was hard work for little pay, and that day, I had learned some heavy news.

I suppose I should have been happy for Toby, after all, he had found a wonderful woman to spend the rest of his life with. Her name was Christine, such a fair name. She was gorgeous too. Earlier that day when I was getting howled at by one of the merchants for misplacing a barrel of flour, he had brought her over. Such great timing too, I was covered in grime, the ocean's salt plastered to my hair and dirt smeared across my face. I smelled of dead fish, mostly because that's what everything smelled like at the docks.

He was all groomed and fancy, his long dark hair combed and parted. He wore a new, clean white shirt and shined shoes, with the buckles glittering. I knew something was up when I saw him dressed like that.

"What's all this? Is it Sunday already?" I asked, wiping sweat off my brow as I saw him approaching up the docks.

"Remy," Toby spoke cautiously, "I… I came by to introduce you to my fiancé."

"Fiancé? When did this all happen?" I laughed, thinking it was a tale, "Toby, did you wake up with a ring on your finger and a gal in your bed?" I joked.

"No." He faltered, "It's not… this is the woman I'm marrying, her name is Christine." A young lady steeped out from behind him, standing closer to Toby than I would have liked.

"Oh," I spoke embarrassed, "Sorry about that." My voice cracked disbelievingly, "I'm Remy." I quickly wiped my hand on my pants to get some of the dirt off of it.

"Nice to meet you Remy." Christine shook my hand daintily. She had smooth, fair skin and her eyes were not too deeply set into her face. They were a clear, strong blue that lit up her appearance. She wore her brown, wavy hair down, cascading across her shoulders. Christine had on a plain dress that showed off her small figure, but had a conservative feel to it, covering every inch of skin. She looked like the daughter of a farmer; there was that down-to-earth kind of look that most women get when they must learn to work to benefit their family. Not like the arrogant, frail upper class ladies who throw talcum powder on their faces to make themselves whiter than ghosts. Christine stood next to Toby's tall body, his arm draped over her waist. He looked so mighty compared to her, but he was a gentle giant, I knew him well enough to know that. I could see the uncertainty in his grey eyes as he surveyed my expression anxiously.

I smiled wryly, "Toby, I'm so proud of you! You've finally got yourself a girl!" I hid behind my rough edged exterior, "Let's sit down somewhere and you can tell me why you've been hiding your beauty for so long, huh?" I beckoned them to follow me over to one of the more respectable inns, which all kinda sucked but I didn't want to scare his girl before I knew if she was a bitch or not.

We pushed through the wooden doors, the bell clanging as we walked into the small, homey atmosphere. The bright sunlight glittered through the windows; it seemed the beautiful day was contrasting to the taught wires in my heart as I watched the two from across the table we were sitting at. They were stretched to the limit, I felt like my heart would snap any moment and I wouldn't be able to control myself. Toby glanced at me quickly, as if he worried about me exploding or something.

What a stupid idea, it's not like I was going to bust apart and become some blubbering fool. It was great that Toby had someone he cared for, even if I did feel like I was bumped out of that spot. But of course, nothing but friendship had ever been between us. It's not like I actually loved him or anything. Love is for losers. And I have complete faith in the bible.

"So, how come I never heard of Miss. Christine before?" I played with Toby, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Oh, you know… I was so busy, and I didn't think you would be so interested." He mustered.

Deep, slow breaths control your damn heart rate.

"So… you've got her father's permission and everything." I tried to create a normal conversation flow.

"Yes, Toby asked my father yesterday, like a true gentle man." Christine smiled, rubbing his back.

Gentle man! You were never there when we blew up the blacksmith's kiln! You were never there when Toby fought John Wassermann! You were never freakin there when Toby and I broke into the baker's shop and stole four frosted pastries (granted, there was no apparent reason beyond that but boredom…)! You never knew him!

"That's good." I responded, suppressing what I would have liked to say to her. Stupid little-

"The wedding's going to be held at Mother Mary's Church, probably in what? This July?" Toby added.

You ass, you never attended one sermon there. Hypocrite!

"Uh huh, where did you two love birds meet?" I questioned, curiously, wondering if I could find it and burn the whole thing down to the ground.

"Do you want to, or should I?" Christine asked in her light, uplifting voice.

Oh no, go ahead little miss perfect.

"Why don't you, sweet heart." Toby cooed.

Where's the puke bucket! Gack!

"Well, I was at the market, buying some bread for father. I was returning home down a deserted ally when a dirty man with long, straggly black hair approached me. His hair was about down to the middle of his neck and he was unshaven. I took one look at him and felt my blood chill. He looked at me with this hungry gaze and I ran as fast as I could. He was gaining on me," Her voice grew more exposed and Toby comforted her with a hand around her shoulder. He pressed his chin into her soft hair. ", and then I fell and he was on top of me. I tried to get him off, but he was too strong…"

"Thank God, I saw her and managed to get that flee bag off of her." Toby finished, "I can't even imagine what would have happened if I wasn't there."

Easy, she'd be screwed and I would be laughing hysterically at her misfortune. Stupid little whore.

"God, that's bad." I filled the emptiness, "Yeah, good thing Toby was there." He's always in the right place at the right time anyway.

"It was nice meeting you, Remy." Christine smiled.

"Hey, if you're a friend of Toby's you're a friend of mine." I'm a freakin liar! Oh, she's a huge friend, why don't we sit down for crumpets and tea later on and we can talk about how much we have in common.

That had all happened earlier that day, and now look where I was. Drowning my miseries with a bottle of rum in some lame-ass bar. Cuz that was going to do oodles for my liver! And make me feel oh-so-much better!

**A/N:** **I was sitting next to Puff Daddy's kids, P-diddy mini, P-puffy bite size, and Puffa diddy diddy pun fun size!**

"Keep em' comin." I spoke to the bartender. He nodded and refilled my glass. It was an off day that night. Only the depressed alcoholics were slouched in their seats, sipping brandy. How it came to this, I had no idea. How could I have let it get so out of hand? Toby was lucky, he loved someone, he would start a family and have a wonderful life. What did I have? A measly underpaid job working as a slave. Nobody noticed me, nobody cared. How the hell was I to acquire a ship? That was the one thing I wanted, to be a captain.

A cold wind blew at my back as the door opened and a man came in from the night. He sat down on a stool next to me.

"Yeah, one bottle of rum." He cited in a smooth, American voice.

What was it about him that seemed so familiar? He was about ten years older than me, tall and thin, but muscled. He wore a white shirt, partially opened, exposing his smooth chest. The man's black hair blocked most of his face from my view; it cut off sharply midway by his neck. He had rough stubble on his chin and a straight nose.

I bent my head lower, and looked at my drink as he glanced at me. From the corner of my eye, I could see him take a sip and then slam it on the counter.

"You know why Tortuga ain't on the map, sweetheart?" He drawled in an uninterested voice.

I blinked and looked up at him; I could feel the slight dizziness rolling around in my head.

"Cuz it's hell."

"Is that supposed to be a pick up line?" I muttered.

"Nope." He replied taking another swig of his rum, "What's a young lady like yourself doin in a sad place like this anyway?" He ventured slyly. He gazed at me with two orange brown eyes.

I scoffed, "You really wanna know?"

"Course"

"I'm here because I'm weak… I could easily fix all my problems by just telling someone exactly how I feel but- but I don't have the courage…" I intoned, thinking of that day, "I can't do it."

He paused, thinking, "Looks like you and me are here for the same reasons."

"So what's stopping you?" I asked.

He didn't respond, after a while, I thought he was just going to go back to minding his own business, but of course that was not the case.

"Love," He spoke up again, "It's a stupid emotion, but that's what's stopping me." The man reckoned, "It's getting in the way or at least making it harder."

I hesitated, "I never saw the point of it either."

"Then I guess we're just two empty souls hiding behind a mask, huh." He tapped his fingers on the wood, musing. "I'm called Shyam by the way." He spoke wily.

"Remy," I informed him.

"Remy, you're not like the girls I usually meet."

"I'm not like a lot of people."

"Neither am I." Shyam spoke, "I can tell you don't run with the pack. We're loners, and a lot of times we've got to always be looking over our shoulders because we're unprotected." His catlike eyes narrowed, "That's why us loners gotta look out for one another."

"It's really starting to get to me," I confided in him, "This God damn society is making me an outcast just because I'm different."

"Remy, don't give a shit about what they say. We don't need to live up to their expectations." Shyam insisted, he leaned in and put his lips to mine. I kissed him back as I felt his tongue slide into my mouth. I finally felt wanted; all thoughts of Toby left my mind. It happened quickly; I followed Shyam up the stairs. He pushed me up against the wall and slid his hands up my shirt. We entered a room in the upstairs inn and we fell onto the bed. Shyam was so vicious, so compelling. I barely knew what was happening. He pressed his body up to mine and kissed me fiercely.

I awoke the next morning with a hangover. My head felt like it was filled with rocks, I couldn't think. Shyam was gone; all that was left was the ruffled sheets. Part of me didn't even believe he actually existed. I felt like shit, my hair was a mess, I felt dirty.

What was that thudding sound? Someone was knocking on the door. "Who's there?" I called, scrambling to get some cloths on.

"It's me, Toby." Toby's muffled voice responded, "What's going on? Why aren't you down at the docks?"

"Holy shit! What time is it?" I panicked, throwing the door open.

Toby stood out there with an odd expression on his face, he looked at me confused, "Remy, what happened?"

"Nothing," I lied, "I just slept in." I tried to push past him, but he grabbed my arm, "Let go, I've gotta go."

"Rem, do you think I'm stupid?" He asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you, Remy look at me! Did you get drunk last night?" He persisted.

I looked up at his friendly grey eyes and knew I couldn't lie to him, "Why do you care, so I had a few drinks."

"I was worried about you last night. I couldn't find you." Toby spoke in a soft voice.

"Maybe I didn't want to be found." I broke out of his grasp and tripped down the stairs. I picked myself up and busted out of the bar's doors and into the town streets. I began to sprint through the ally, pushing past people. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, aiming for some vanishing point in the distance. Gasping for breath, I stopped, finding myself by the docks.

Maybe it was fate, I don't know. I saw a group of people crowded around two redcoats. They were hauling someone to their feet; he was clapped in iron manacles. I pressed foreword, trying to see over the heads of the people gathered there.

"Mr. Shyam Gale, you are under arrest by the British Royal Navy for the said crimes of murder on two counts, rape, robbery, and treason. You will be held by the British Royal courts and if found guilty, you will be executed. How do you plead?" One of the soldiers asked in a condescending tone.

Shyam's eyes shone with hatred. They looked almost red in the bright Caribbean sunshine. "You son of a bitch!" He growled, "You got another thing comin if you think you're gonna see me dead!" He twisted in their grasp. I stepped back, but not before he saw me, Shyam laughed as they dragged him past me. "Empty souls don't get redemption." He coughed.

"Shut up!" One of the guards smashed their rifle into his stomach and he doubled over. "This is a dangerous criminal, everyone back up!" The other one ordered.

There was a piercing scream as the soldier was knocked to the ground. I saw Shyam kick the Brit in the chest and he fell to the ground. Shyam burst through the crowd and started dashing down the street to get away. The guards managed to get up and begin firing their muskets at him, the bullets ricocheting off the stone street. Screams were heard all around in the mass chaos. I ran against the crowd that was fleeing the scene. Why was I running to him?

I remember, his body fell heavily, a bullet had pierced his chest, staining his white shirt. I slid to the ground at a run, there was already a pool of blood flowing around his body. Shyam's orange brown eyes looked up at me. His long, black hair sticky with blood. I bent down, his chest heaved in and out, fighting the mortal wound.

I didn't know what to say. What could I say?

He whispered something quietly, "You're not…" He struggled, "weak."

His breath hissed out of his mouth, rattling through his clenched teeth. I did not cry, I slowly stood up and saw Toby standing in the distance looking horrified at me.

I was back, sitting on the bench looking at Davy Jones, "Why did you show me this?" I asked quietly.

"Because…" He replied, sucking on his pipe, "I know. I know what's it's like to be a pariah."

"Then I guess we are a lot alike."

**A/N: I don't know if this chapter made any sense. WF's gonna kill me. Where did the weekend go? She wanted a fling with Toby, but that's not what happened is it? Oh no, but there was indeed a fling as I promised.**

**TECT Out!**


	11. Chapter 11: Disquieting Circumstances

**A/N: Hey long time since I've updated. This chapter, I just wanted to get through the movie cuz it seems as if it's taking an eternity. But, alas, I was side tracked, yet again. I feel like I'm the one trapped on the Flying Dutchman, it's been like four freakin chapters for just ten minutes of the movie. Anyways for those of you who have never reviewed before, I don't expect you to break that record now. It would be a shame for you guys to all of a sudden start reviewing on the last couple of chapters.**

**Chapter 11**

Maybe if Toby had asked about it, I would have told him everything, but he never did. He never asked why I had known the man that he despised for attacking his love, or why I had buried Shyam.

If he did, I probably would have told him what had happened; I would have told him why it happened too. Part of it was for spite, but there was also a need to feel wanted. And I knew I hadn't dealt with my feelings in the best way. I could have solved everything by telling Toby how I felt about him and Christine getting married, but I was too weak.

Looking back on it all, I felt disgusted with myself, I had always dreamed my first time would be with someone special…someone a hell of a lot different.

I was still contemplating on the bench in Davy Jones's eerily timeless catacomb when he abruptly stood up and his music ceased. Without speaking, he thudded out of the room with a set expression. I followed him out as he climbed the old wooden steps and out onto the deck. With each thud, gooseneck barnacles quickly retracted. Where was he going? He was laughing.

"I accept that-uh." He railed.

I looked around to see the crew surrounding Will and Bootstrap Bill. A crate was slammed to the ground and cups filled with dice were set onto the moldy crate. It appeared to be some kind of gambling game and Will had just challenged Davy Jones to it.

"The stakes?" Jones asked in a sneering, scorn filled voice.

"My soul, an eternity of servitude." Will replied untrustingly back.

"No!" Bootstrap disrupted them with his fear.

"Against?" Jones asked.

"I want this." Will pulled out the faded picture of the key, "And Rummy's freedom." He looked up at me, as he said this. There was purpose in his eyes. I stared back at him, he didn't have to risk all this for me.

"How do you know of the key?" Jones questioned, surprise on his slimy face.

"That's not part of the game, is it? You can still walk away?" Will fortified his terms by applying reversed psychiatry.

A slithering, grey tentacle pulled out the small strange looking key from under Jones's vest. It dangled there for all the crew to see. The key to the chest.

Bootstrap sat down at the crate next.

"What's this?" Jones's exclaimed as he watched Bootstrap enter the game.

"I'm in, matching his wager." Bootstrap stated, looking at his son.

"No! Don't do this!" Will pleaded with his father; I could tell that he really did care for him.

"The die is cast. I bid three twos. It's your bid, Captain." Bootstrap began the very confusing game. Seriously, I had no idea what was happening, or how you played. I preferred Poker, easier to understand.

"Four fours." Davy Jones spat.

"Four fives." Will raised.

Looking at his dice, Bootstrap muttered, "Six threes."

"Seven fives-uh."

"Eight fives." Will went even higher, the crew gasped. They could tell Jones was gonna see Will was bluffing.

"Huh huh huh. Welcome to the crew, liar." Jones cackled, surrounded by his crew who were equally amused.

"Twelve fives. Twelve fives. Call me a liar. Or up the bid." Bootstrap slid in there quickly. I gasped; he was taking the fall for Will.

"And be called a liar myself for my trouble? Bootstrap Bill you're a liar and you will spend an eternity on this ship! Master Turner and Miss Rummy, feel free to go ashore… the very next time we make port!" Davy Jones bantered as he stood up.

"Fool, why did you do that?" Will asked his father.

"I couldn't let you lose." He replied, avoiding Will's gaze.

"It was never about winning or losing." **(A/N: It's how u play the game.)**

"The key, you just wanted to know where it was." Bootstrap Bill realized. **((Face-palm)**

As the crew departed, Will took me out-of-the-way to a secluded corner, "I need your help." Will spoke to me urgently, pulling me off to the side. There was extreme worry in his voice.

"Will, why- you didn't have to do this. You don't need to clean up my mess." I referred to when he had wagered his life for mine during the game.

"No, I do. Becket sent you to look after me, I'm returning the favor." He responded.

"Okay, so now what. How are we gonna get it from him?" I asked cryptically.

"Wait till he's asleep." Will whispered.

"Are you nuts?! We can't just waltz in there and dig through his 'beard'!" I struggled to keep my voice low.

"Do you have a better idea?"

I faltered, "No. It just seems extremely risky."

"This business depends on risks."

"Of course, but I take calculated risks." I hissed.

"Trust me, if there was a better way…" He trailed off.

"What do you need me to do?" I gave in.

"Help me dig through his 'beard'." Will restated with a grim smile.

We waited until it was late at night. I paced in my cramped, cage-like cabin. I think it had previously been used as a storage closet. It still smelled profusely like salted pork rinds. A short used candle flickered in the corner of the 6x2 foot room. My bed, I

guessed, was supposedly the hay bail that took up the majority of the coffin shaped quarter.

How the hell did this happen? I wondered. Once I was Captain of my own ship, now I was living in a closet on dead man's ship. It all felt like a freakishly horrible dream that I would do anything to escape from.

As I moved, I made my way in one stride from one corner to the other. From no warning at all, I felt my chest twinge in pain. At first, I thought it might have been from the bruise Davy Jones's had given me earlier that day, but this pain felt almost like it was in the very center of my heart, the very center of my soul. I took off my shirt and in the dim light; I could see the green purple bruising in the center of my chest.

What freaked me out was the way the veins seemed to be highlighted and pulsing. My heart felt as if it were contracting and pulling at my insides, my body shook each time my heart beat. It felt as if a red hot flame were burning through my heart, consuming me from the inside out. I collapsed onto the ground, panting. My vision blurred and my ears filled with just the thundering thud of my labored heart beat. Choking…can't breath…what's happening to me?

My eyes shot open and I gasped for breath. It swirled in, filling my oxygen deprived lungs with air. At first I couldn't see anything, my eyes were open, but there was no image.

Slowly, the purple blackness began to subside and light replaced it. Will leaned over me, terror fixed in his gaze. I could feel the cold wood on my bare back, I was still lying on the ground, chills ran through my body and my hands shook, rattling against the floor.

"God, Rummy, are you okay?" Will asked with serious concern. He wrapped a blanket around me.

"I-what happened?" I quaked; my vulnerability was really not making the situation better. I was also aware that he was quite close to me in the tight room.

"I came in to get you, and you were just on the floor. Not breathing." Will explained, "I thought you were _dead_. Your hands were ice cold."

"Oh." I spoke in a listless voice, forcing myself to stay in control of my emotions, but tears began to well up.

"It's okay, Rummy."

"No, I'm fine. I just- I don't know. I'll be fine." I stood up quickly, but almost toppled over. Will steadied me and looked at my rattled and scared expression disbelievingly.

"You're not fine." He spoke with finality. "Can you tell me anything at all?"

"I said I don't know. My heart must have stopped or something." I reconciled, still breathing heavily, "All I remember before was a pounding pain in my chest."

"Listen, Rummy, I don't think it's a good idea-

I cut Will off, "I'm coming with. I'm fine." I wrapped the blanket around myself a little tighter, "Just give me a sec."

He left the room hesitantly and I closed the heavy wooden door behind him. I leaned on the door, resting my head against the dark wood and inhaled through my nose, my breath shook as I exhaled. The truth was, I felt extremely afraid at that moment. The fact that I almost died for no reason seemed the most troubling. The unknown question bounced off my brain forlornly, why?

I slipped my shirt back on and tried to focus on the task at hand, getting the key. As I pulled the door open, Will stood in the dark; his tall figure watched as I closed the door noiselessly. We both knew what the other one was thinking.

We padded silently down the stairs to enter Davy Jones's organ room. I whispered quietly in the darkness to the shadow ahead of me, "Thank you."

**A/N: I know sorta short. That's cuz my mother is making me go to bed, but I would have gotten much more done if she hadn't of used the computer for so long today. The Departed is an awesome movie and everyone must watch it cuz it's great! Chinchillas r friends not furs! Soylent green is people! Made from real soy and lentils, in a variety of fun new flavors like Soylent red! Yellow! And new Green! **

**TECT Out!**

**No tickey, no laundry.**


	12. Chapter 12: Repeat

**A/N: So I finally updated! Yay! This chapter isn't my favorite. I really didn't put any flashbacks or cool scenes in. It's just getting through some of the plot cuz I think I need to wrap this up soon. I have a cool flashback in mind for the next chapter and believe me; I do have a cool finale planned for the end, even if it may be a little sad. Well I'm sorry if u find this chapter to be a snooze fest, but I promise the next one will be better and Jack will finally be in it. Wow, seems like forever since I've seen him.**

**Chapter 12**

We entered the darkened room, all was quiet and the air was slightly chilled, like the bottom of the sea. I quickly spotted Davy Jones slumped over at the organ, asleep. Thank the Lord.

My heart began to race as Will and I barely touched the ground as we made our way towards the Captain. I was reminded of the disastrous episode I had experienced earlier, sincerely, I had never been so freaked out in my life. External danger I had always felt the threat from. I was used to having weapons pointed at me, but this… My blood chilled as I thought, Was there something wrong with me? Am I………….dying? This was not something I could fix, and I knew of nobody else either.

But that one question remained in my mind, that one bit of doubt that maybe this would hinder my abilities. I had to brush this notion out of my mind though, this was nether the time, nor the place.

Will and I were now right next to the slumbering devil. I watched Jones' shut eyelids carefully, praying that they would remain closed. Will reached fro a nearby quill pen, and held it tightly in his hand, like a doctor with a scalpel.

His blue eyes looked directly into mine, signaling for us to proceed with the very precarious task. He then lifted up one tentacle with the quill and began to search Jones' very alive beard. I did the same, using a stave to keep the slithering appendages from covering up the key.

My heart began to beat faster and faster as we combated the beard. I felt a faint pain in my chest, but tried to ignore it. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Will's hand holding the quill begin to droop and the tentacle sliding off it.

"Will!" I whispered urgently, feeling the sharp pain grow.

William Turner saw it, but it was too late. The thick, fleshy tentacle slipped and slapped heavily onto one of the organ keys creating a booming and heart pounding noise. We both froze in panic, not even daring to breath. Holy shit! Don't wake up! Please don't wake up!

Davy Jones stirred, smacking his lips together. He's gonna wake up! Shit, this isn't gonna be good! Shit! Shit! Shit! Our eyes were wide with alarm. One…two…three…four…five.

He never woke up, I think it's safe. Will exhaled, relaxing a little, Davy Jones, for some unimaginable reason, had not awoken.

Working quickly like surgeons, we skillfully removed the final tentacles and at last, detached the cherished key. We then replaced that with the piece of parchment with the drawing of the key and got the hell out of there.

I couldn't help but smile with relief as we met Bootstrap Bill on the dark deck with a clear night's sky hanging far off above us. Bootstrap's worried look subsided as he spotted us.

"No problems?" He asked.

"No." I responded, only seeing the moonlight reflecting off his pale skin.

Will began to grow restless beside me, I could tell he was itching to get off this ship, but didn't want to leave his father behind. It was time for the goodbyes.

"You two best be leavin' this mournful place." Bootstrap spoke with regret in his shadowy features. I could not even imagine what it must have been like for him to have to spend an eternity on the _Flying Dutchman_.

"Thank you for all your help, Bootstrap." I nodded, feeling like we owed him an unpayable debt, "I don't think I can ever make this up to you."

"Just get to safe ground. Rummy, it was an honor meeting you." Bootstrap spoke with urgency, "Will," He paused, it must have been hard to see his son leave so soon. "Here take this." He handed will a knife, "Now get yourself at land, and stay there. It was always in my blood to die at sea. But it was not a fate I ever wanted for you."

"It's not a fate you had to choose for yourself, either." Will added lamentably.

"Ah. I could say I did what I had to, when I left you to go pirating, but it would taste a lie to say it wasn't what I wanted. You owe me nothing will. Not at all." His father finished, knowing the time for departure was growing near.

"They'll know you helped me." Will reminded him with guilt.

"Ha ha! What more can they do to me?" He scornfully laughed.

"I take this with a promise." Will clutched the knife in his fist, "I'll sever Jones' hold on you. And not rest until this blade pierces his heart. I will not abandon you. I promise."

And so we fled. Will and I began to row the long boat into the open sea. The current took us away from the dark shadow of the _Flying Dutchman_, the floating prison. Its forbidding hull and bare masts faded silently into the thinning night.

Quiet hung between us. We did not speak, it didn't seem right. Only the sounds of our rowing were heard. The slap of the oars onto the surface of the water and then the gliding of the life boat repeated over and over. Soon the sky began to grow pink with color, the sun was about to rise from the east and make its long journey across the sky. I couldn't help wondering what we would be doing as the sun rose above us on that day.

The sun was gradually lighting our scenery, so far, we had only seen vacant ocean surrounding us. I thought it would take some time to reach land. Davy Jones had sailed to the north and I knew not many islands sat up there. My hazel eyes scanned the clear blue water now, searching for any speck of land or the very unlikely chance of a passing ship.

A shiny reflection caught my eye, "Oye! What's that over there?" I pointed to where I had seen the flash of light.

"Where?" Will asked, turning around to look, we stopped rowing and floated there, the boat rocking over the waves.

"There! See where that cloud stops." I referenced.

"Rummy, I still don't see anything." He disbelievingly spoke.

I saw the flash again, "It's back there. I think the sun's reflecting off it."

Will squinted his eyes, "Wait… I can make out something!" He exclaimed, "Yes, there on the water!"

"Quick, row. It may be moving away from us!" I spoke with stimulation.

The small speck grew and soon we realized it was moving toward us, a ship was approaching. Speedily, the tall hull grew close and a sailor spotted us. The ship was about medium size, not as big as the _Flying Dutchman_ or as tall as the _Jade Chalice_, but not as thin as the _Black Pearl_. Yellow pine covered her body and lean white sails adorned the masts. On the side in straight, professional black lettering read, "Edinburgh Trader". It appeared to be a merchant ship.

The crew watched from the deck with curiosity as we were hauled aboard and their eyes rested on our weary appearances. No doubt, they were very perplexed to find a ragged young man with a ripped shirt and whip marks on his back and a woman dressed in loose black pants, boots, a weathered old overcoat, and a white cotton shirt. All of which would have been more ordinary on a male's body, but in this case caught their eyes.

"Strange thing to come upon a long boat so far out in open waters." A man, I guessed was the captain questioned us with eyebrows raised. He seemed to be a decent fellow, an honest merchant not caught up in all the complexities of pirating or illegal transporting of goods. He was plain, brown eyes and light brown hair and about average height.

"Just put as many leagues behind us as you can." Will told him.

"And what are we running from?" The man asked with inquisitiveness.

But Will was distracted, his eyes drawn to a wedding dress draped over a chair.

"You have to excuse my friend," I spoke, not knowing what Will was doing, "We escaped a run in with pirates. Dreadful crew, Jack Sparrow was his name I do believe. Have you heard of him?" I spun a tale with my tongue.

"Why everyone's heard of Jack Sparrow, Captain of the Black Pearl." One sailor spoke up.

"That dress, where'd you get it?" Will looked up; he had momentarily been mesmerized from the light golden yellow wrinkled satin and lace of the dress. He had a longing in his eyes to know. Speaking of which, where had _I_ seen that dress before?

"It was found aboard the ship. The crew thought it was a spirit bringing some omen of ill fate." The Captain replied.

"That's foolish." Will replied.

"Oh, yes. Precedingly foolish."

"It brought good fortune! The spirit told us… put in at Tortuga. And we made a nice bit of profit there." One crew member added.

"Off the books, of course." The Captain explained.

"I imagine… some of your crew might have jumped ship there." Will elaborated, still entranced by the dress. Damn it! Where have I seen that!

"Why do you ask?"

A man's voice then cut in, distracting us all from the conversation, "Captain, a ship's been spotted." A messenger announced to us. Uh-oh.

"Colors?" The Captain asked.

"She isn't flyin' any." Double uh-oh.

"Pirates!" The Captain rushed out, worry written on his face.

Will looked at me, "Or worse."

Everyone on board rushed to the deck, I could see the all too familiar _Flying Dutchman_ fast approaching, carried by the swift brisk winds.

"I've doomed us all." I heard Will mutter to himself as he watched Davy Jones's ship promptly approach.

"Stop being so pessimistic." I told him as the crew behind us ran about madly preparing the cannons and dropping the sails, "I need your help."

He turned to me, "What? You have a plan?" There was hope in his eyes.

"Well let's just say half a plan for now!" I grabbed him and he followed me down into the hull of the ship, "Hurry! We don't have that much time! I don't know if I can save this ship, but if I get the right equipment, maybe I can kill that creature."

"What do you need?" Will asked over the shouts of the crew resonating downwards from the deck.

"A harpoon or a crossbow if you can find one. I doubt they'll have nitroglycerin down here."

We ran down into the storage quarters of the ship filled with dark wooden crates and thick iron chains swaying from the rafters from the ceiling. I whipped out my dagger and began to pry open the crates with it. Will imitated me, and we began to frantically search.

"Damn it!" I opened up one of the crates to find only sacks of flour. Another one was filled with cotton and still more only contained molasses.

"This isn't working!" I heard Will let out frustrated cry.

"Keep trying! There has to be some down here."

Will stopped and looked up, "Rummy," He spoke in an obvious why-didn't-you-notice-this-before tone, "Look behind you."

I turned around and saw a harpoon propped up against the wall, I felt stupid because I must have walked right past it.

"Oh." I grabbed the hickory shaft and we both ran up the stairs two at a time.

Thump, I was thrown against the wall as a quake reverberated off the ship. Our guest was here!

"Oh, Mother Cary's chickens! What happened?" A crew member cursed? I don't know. Maybe I should be worrying about more important things at the moment like the giant Kraken swimming underneath us.

"Must've hit a reef." Another replied stupidly.

"That's no damn reef mate!" I yelled, "Free the rudder! Hard to port, then hard to starboard!" I commanded, knowing what was going to happen next. Any moment, the Kraken's long, grey tentacles would erupt from the sea and flail down onto the deck.

"Kraken!" One of the sailors screeched. Yup, told you so.

The whip-like tangles of flesh sprouted in the distance, one jerked a man from side to side, screaming.

A brass bell was rung and sailors all around began to panic. "Not again!" I spoke to myself. I was still clutching the harpoon in my right hand. I strapped the weapon onto my back. This wouldn't work. My plan was not ready yet!

And then I felt myself relive that horrible day. That day that Toby had been dragged under. The experience had only happened a few days ago and now here it was once more. It was bad enough that it was in my dreams and now that damn monster was after me for a secound time! WTF! Pause...Rewind...Repeat...Repeat...Repeat.

Here we go again. The arms rose high above the ship, stretching up and up. They grew from the troubled water, blotting out the sun and preparing to rain down on us. When they had reached their climax, the tentacles cracked down upon us. They grew bigger and bigger, getting closer. Falling onto us. Screams surrounded me, I leaped for cover, but there was none. How could you hide from something this massive?

A huge explosion of cracking wood and the slapping of the arms hitting anything in their path ensued. I felt myself get flung across the deck and land heavily. I was barely aware of the sharp pain in my chest that felt like I had swallowed a nail.

Then my body hit the cold ocean water. I tried to suck in breath, but only the sea flowed into my mouth. My eyes opened wide as I choked on the salty liquid and all I could see was swirling blue around me. My arms thrust around me and I began to kick frantically, trying to find the surface.

This felt all too familiar. I could feel my lungs heave, water was gushing into them. It was just like last time. I was going to die. Jack wouldn't be here to save me. There were two choices presented to me: I could just give up and drown, or I could force myself to the surface.

I decided that I had suffered too much to just die this way. I made up my mind; I was going to finish the task I had set out to do. I would do it for Toby. I knew I couldn't rely on anyone else anymore. This had to be done by me. A huge force of adrenaline and strength fused throughout my body and I forced myself up towards air.

My head broke the surface and I sputtered out seawater. My eyes stung with salt as the natural instinct of treading water overcame me. As I coughed, the twinge of pain in my heart flared up and I tried to keep as still as possible. This was not good. I looked around confused. There was no more ship, only a square mile of debris thrown everywhere. The Kraken was gone.

"Will!" I shouted, the last time I had seen him was on the ship. Now I was floating in the middle of no where, with no idea how I was going to get out of this mess.

"Will!" I tried again, but was only greeted by the waves gently splashing against me. Growing tired, I swam to a piece of driftwood and pulled myself half way onto it. This took almost all my energy and when I reached it, I was out of breath and of course my damn heart seemed to be fluttering weakly in my chest. As I looked around, I could only see clear horizon around me.

But now I didn't care, I was too exhausted to care. I would worry about this whole mess after my nap. Yes, after my nap. When was the last time I had even gotten some sleep? Hmmm, perhaps it was two days ago. Whatever. My eyelids grew heavy as I lay sprawled against the slick wet wood.

I didn't care that I was extremely exposed out here, or that I should stay awake to keep myself from drowning and look out for ships or land. I'd figure that all out after my siesta…

**A/N: Okay so I know the whole drowning things been done like a million times and I'm sorry. But I just needed to get through this part and then I promise the next ones gonna be better. Hey thanks for all the reviews from you guys Writing Fairy and 16aqua. As for the rest of you, you had your chance. **

**TECT Out!**

**No tickey, no laundry. **


	13. Chapter 13: My Burden

**A/N: Not like this story is progressing much. By the time I finish, Christmas will be here. What the fizidyuk. Review… you lazy readers! Lol more like gog. Omg that's such a pretty cat. I'm trippen.**

**Chapter 13**

Nothing was there, just nothing. No shadows, no images. Complete silence.

"Rummy! Rummy!" Gradually, I was aware of someone calling my name. They sounded familiar, like I had known them in a different life. What life was that? I had no idea.

"Wake up! Hey, sleeping's over!" Something fell by me, splashing my face with water.

Steadily, I began to open my eyes; my hand was half way in the water. The waves rose gently up along it. The stubs of my pinky and ring finger reminding me that I was still stuck in my shitty life. My head was resting on my other arm and half my body was laying on some boards of the hull of the merchant's ship that had just been claimed by the Kraken.

I lifted my heavy head and saw the black side of a ship glide dangerously by silently. Something hit my head, not hard, but not soft.

"Grab the rope." I heard the British, slurred voice speak.

"Jack?" My eyes followed up the side of the _Black Pearl_ and there stood that silhouette with long dreadlocks, a thin figure, and waving hands.

"Yes, now that we've assimilated acquaintances, grab the rope. I've got to get to land!"

Doing as I was told, my hands slipped around the thick and rough cord and pressure was applied. I could feel my body lifted out of the water and I was dragged up the side of the ship. I gripped the closest thing near me, a slim hand with long, clean nails. My eyes traveled up to the young face of a woman with blonde auburn hair wearing men's cloths and a black three cornered hat.

"Thanks," I spoke tiredly, "You're that…girl with the…."

"Elizabeth Swan, yes, glad to see you've remembered me. You've only been gallivanting around with my fiancé for more than a week." She spoke in a prim womanly voice.

"Right, sorry about that. And now onto more pressing matters," I took the harpoon that I was wearing wrapped around my back and pointed it at Jack Sparrow's head, "I'd like to know why you decided to give us as payment to Davy Jones to save your pretty little ass."

"Ha ha, you remembered that, didn't you, my very very merciful…friend." Jack held his hands up protectively as if to ward off the harpoon pointed at him.

"Indeed, Jack. Thanks for the heads up too. Just scuttle over there and retrieve the key, like it'd be just lying right in front of us with a big sign that read take the key."

"Speaking about that immensely interesting subject, _did_ you happen to come across it?" Jack questioned.

"Give me a reason not to finish you off." I spoke grudgingly.

"You need the chest, and I know where it is." Jack explained.

My eyes grew wider, "Really?"

"So you do have the key." Jack read my expression.

I lowered my harpoon gun, "Well, not exactly. You see, the ship we escaped to kind of blew up when the Kraken attacked it and Will has the key, but I don't know where Will is." I said all of this very quickly.

"What do you mean you don't know where Will is?" Elizabeth angrily intruded.

"I don't know where Will's bodily presence is."

"But you were supposed to stay with him." Elizabeth admonished, her fine hair blowing in the wind.

"He's a grown man, and I'm not his babysitter. Will is probably safe-ish." I thought of the attack, the Kraken whipping sailors through the air, "Or he could be in the stomach of that monster..." My voice trailed off.

"_Captain_ Rummy. I don't think you're taking Will's life seriously. Beckett told you-"

I cut her off, "Beckett! Beckett is a load of shit! Screw Beckett, I'm done with him. As for the Kraken, I take it _very _seriously Miss Swan. I watched it kill my first mate." My face was very close to hers now, and I could tell she saw the pain in my eyes. My heart beat faster and there was a warning of strained pain.

I abruptly pivoted and threatened to Jack, "You better have still kept my room."

He nodded, "Women." He muttered.

When I got to the small cabin I stood in the doorway and just stared. This room, I had only left it a few days ago, but it seemed like another life time. There were the dark stains still fresh on the wood from that night I had woken up with my knife cut into my hands. Grand memories.

What really was ticking me off now was that look Elizabeth had given me when she had accused me of not taking good care of Will. It wasn't my fault; she would not be nearly as upset if it had been Will returning and not me. It wasn't my fault that he could be dead…

Christine, I had seen that same look in her eyes too, I remembered.

"I'm gonna damn kill that weasel!" Toby swore as he rested his hands on the prison bars of his cell. He had fury in his eyes as he stood in the small damp sect.

"Listen Toby; let's just forget about the whole thing." I tried to get him to relax, "We'll find the sonafabitch later." I added more quietly.

Someone was standing behind me; I turned to see her. Christine stood with a worried expression on her face. Her combed brown hair was pulled back, I could easily look over her, she wasn't that tall. It seemed weird that Toby being so lofty had chosen someone so short. I side stepped her, being careful not to knock her over, wouldn't want to do that. I always felt like she was so damn breakable. That tiny, little petite body, I thought, couldn't take much.

"Christine!" Toby's face lit up when he saw her. She came up to him and he took her face in his hands lovingly.

"What happened Toby?" She questioned with emotion lining her voice.

"Nothing love, just a bar fight." He pressed up against the bars to be closer to her. Christine's twig like arms wrapped around her husband. I decided to head into the hallway, I really felt uncomfortable standing there. Whenever _she_ was there.

Where I was standing in the dull hallway I could still hear their voices and if I leaned far enough over, I could see them too.

"I love you so much; I don't want you locked up in here." I heard her say.

"It won't be for long," Toby spoke soothingly; Remy will pay for my bail. He moved his hands off her face and repositioned them onto her waist.

"She'll be able to do that?" Christine asked, "I heard business wasn't going so good?"

"Remy will find a way." He laughed to himself, "She would never leave me in here."

"Of course not. She would have you right up with her in all the dangerous adventures she gets herself into." Christine spook with a trace of ice in her sweet voice.

"Christine," Toby looked into her clear blue eyes, "We've gone down this road before."

"I know, but I'm just so worried when you leave. I get lonely when I don't see you for weeks, months. And my mind starts wondering, what if you're injured or even dead. I can't do this anymore." Emotion filled her voice and I knew it was love, "I can't keep going on like this, I love you too much."

"Christine," I heard Toby's voice barely audible, "Don't make me choose."

His hands slipped down to her thighs and rubbed them tenderly.

"I don't want to, but I'd never forgive myself if you'd end up dead." She whispered. That makes two of us.

"I made a promise to both of you, I want to keep them."

"I'm your wife."

"She's my captain, you knew all this before you married me, if… if you can't stay-"

"I love you too much, Toby. We love you too much." Christine spoke with hurt.

"What are you talking about?" Toby asked confused.

"I'm pregnant." Christine softly voiced, tears running down her cheeks.

"Oh my God," Toby stared at her, Christine looked at him wonderingly, his face changed and lit up with happiness, "Christine, I love you." They locked in a kiss.

I left, despite the throbbing pain in my hands from my nails digging into the skin, I just had to leave. I had to get out of there. I flagged down one of the guards, "Where can I pay the bail?" I asked.

"Up at the big house," He pointed to a larger building set off to the side in a small forest of palm trees.

"Thanks," I hurried off toward that direction.

The sheriff wasn't in but I was able to leave the small fortune with his secretary, "I'll call someone down there right away Miss." The secretary spoke as he smiled at me, I didn't feel like smiling back. That would take months to recover the amount of gold I had handed him.

I waited for them to let Toby out; I stood a little ways off and watched the two of them leave. Toby looked around for me expecting me to be there. He knew I had just bailed him out and would be expecting to find out when we'd be shipping out again.

I watched the two, holding hands. I stepped out of the shadows, he saw me. Far off in the distance, but he saw me. He waved in my direction, but I turned away. This was it; I didn't want anymore contact with him, ever. It was better like this; I wouldn't be the cause of his death.

He could raise his family, I would be guilt free. No worries.

"Remy!" He called.

I kept on walking, trying not to think.

"Remy!" He called again, "What are you doing?" Keep walking.

But I stopped, still keeping my back turned. I was so weak. God damnit, why weren't my legs moving! He was coming closer, just cut it off with him. Forget about Toby! I tried to tell myself this, but all those years you can't erase.

He came up to me, "I'll try and find some new work for you." I spoke solemnly.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, still not catching on.

"I can't ruin you family, Toby." He turned me around and looked straight at me with those grey eyes I had known for so long.

"Don't… don't do this to yourself Remy. I'm staying."

"No you're not, I'm the captain." I bit my tongue, trying to stay strong. Christine had stopped; she stood farther back looking at the two of us.

"You chose me to be your first mate, we're partners." Toby tried again to get past my emotional block.

"Well maybe I chose wrong." My voice lowered, "I'm doing this for your own good."

His voice changed to anger, "I'm staying." He repeated, his mind was made up.

I swallowed, "Don't you understand, Toby, I can't be the one. Don't make me be the one."

"One what?"

"The one that caused you death!" I yelled, confusion, anger, hate filling my voice. Why were things so complicated!

"Rem, listen, if that ever happens, it will never be your fault. Don't carry that burden with you."

"I'm your captain."

"You'll stay my captain."

I sat down on my bed, I had failed with that. Toby had died, it _was_ my fault. If he had just gone home then and there, I wouldn't be stuck in this mess. And Toby was wrong; I carried that burden on my shoulders everyday.

**A/N: Finally got this one up, I procrastinate way too much. Yes, that's it. But now I did put this one up, go me. Note to self, don't watch U-tube and AIM ppl while typin fanfic. It will take twice as long. Chinchillas are friends not fur! God why do I have to keep putting this in here every time! Well maybe because there could be the slightest chance that one of you rare readers will listen to me and pass up that prospect to buy a fur coat in the future because you read this author's note.**


	14. Chapter 14: A Taste of Fate and Manfish

**A/N: God-freakin-damishly-stupid-fricken-freakin-documents! It took me 6 freakin days to post this cuz it wouldn't upload! Jesus Christ! Total waste of hours of my time! Okay, so now that I've expressed my frustration, this chapter is weird. And for some of you, you may not understand it. I don't know if I made it clear enough, so it may help to look back to chapter 8 if you are confused about the end. I'll be happy to explain it to you if you still don't recognize it.**

**Chapter 14**

Knock…knock…knock. I was aroused from sleep by someone tapping on the door. Groggily, I assumed that I had passed out on the small cot in the corner of the room. I staggered to my feet and answered the door.

Jack's face greeted me as he leaned in wobbly like only he could do and exclaimed, "Land ho! Off my ship lassie, we've got a heart to find!"

I rubbed my eyes, "Alright, just get you rancid rum breath outa my face."

Reaching for my harpoon and dagger I spoke, "Jack, you got any nitroglycerin on this ship?"

"Nitro-what?" He asked as he teetered from side to side as the ship rolled.

"You know, dynamite, how much rum _have_ you consumed?" I questioned his off-ness.

"Oh! You mean the stuff that makes things go boom! Plenty of that lying 'round here, love."

"My God. And he's our captain." I heard someone mutter behind me.

As I turned around, I was greeted by a shabby, tall man that looked even worse than Jack did at that time. His cloths were filthy, even by sailor's standards. He was unshaven, hair in dark brown tangles, and wore a blue navy uniform that looked like what the commodores were dressing in these days.

Then I realized it, "_Norrington_?! What the hell happened to you?"

"You haven't heard the news yet?" He asked in a sneer, the only remnant left of his past life as commander of the British seas.

"Well I knew you were stripped of you rank, but working for Jack Sparrow? The very enemy that ruined you?" I almost burst out laughing from the irony. Norrington and I had become acquainted when I had started working for Beckett. The two had been best buddies then. Taking turns having each other over for tea parties and such, going to balls, and dancing around the sea with their fine ships and armies-OOHH, I HATE THEM ALL!

Anyways, now that Norrington was ruined, I found it my responsibility to rub his lace-curtained-pansy-ass-face in it. "You dropped faster than a guillotine on a pirate's neck." I informed him.

He glared at me, "Thank you for the comment I never asked for."

"Oi you two! Come down here an 'elp!" Jack yelled to us as he sat in a long boat, ready to row out to the sandy island. Elizabeth was with him, an impatient look on her face.

We all piled in, the small little boat's side had sunk dangerously into the sea, and I feared water would spill over the sides as Jack and Norrington rowed. In my hands was a pistol Jack had handed to me when I had asked him for supplies. It was a plain oak handle and the barrel was a bit rusted. I opened it up, and saw the gunpowder had somewhat clumped together. I sighed, just like Jack; give me a gun that doesn't even fire.

Well, I suppose I could put that to the test later. We reached the unmarred beach quickly and stepped onto the crystal like seashore. The sky was its characteristic deep, bright blue, and the jungle was a healthy green.

Jack plopped down on a sandy slope, and laid down, resting his hands on his arms.

"Jack, is this _really_ the time?" Elizabeth questioned, looking at him with impatience.

He gave her an odd look, "What are we supposed to? I'm just waiting until Norrington digs up that chest. You're welcome to join me?" He raised his eyebrows seductively.

Elizabeth turned away with disgust. Norrington groaned and began to dig into the wet sand with a rusted iron shovel, "I suppose no one else is willing to help?"

Ignoring his persistent whining throughout his labor, I sat cross legged on the sand and pulled out my harpoon. The shaft was about as thick as a broom handle. I pulled out my knife, remembering the many days Toby had spent whittling on the beach, and dug the knife into the wood. I worked the metal blade into the side, slowly chipping out an incision. I hoped that this would work, my goal was to hollow out the inside of the handle enough so it could hold the deadly core.

A hard metal on metal clang echoed as Norrington dug. His shovel had hit something stiff, the rest of us surrounded him, curiously wondering if he had truly found Davy Jones's chest. Indeed, my hazel eyes spotted a small rusted container Jack pulled out of the hole and brushed sand off.

We peered at it, holding our breath as Jack opened it. Inside were a pearl necklace, documents, and another smaller chest. Elizabeth took the letter in her hands and broke the seal, reading it to herself. I could just barely hear a soft thudding noise, almost like a heart beat coming from the smaller chest.

"It's real!" Elizabeth exclaimed, hearing the same sound.

"You actually were telling the truth." Norrington commented astonished.

"I do that quite a lot. Yet people are often surprised." Jack replied dryly.

"With good reason!" A familiar voice was heard behind us and I could feel Elizabeth whip around suddenly.

Will was unexpectedly walking up the beach toward us. Huh? Where the hell did he come from? But I was relived; now I didn't have to worry about an ass whooping from Elizabeth because I compromised her fiancé's life. Thank the lord.

"Will! You're alright! Thank God! I came to find you!" Elizabeth shouted gleefully and they united in a passionate kiss.

"How did you get here?" Jack asked, confused.

"He flew, Jack." I replied sarcastically.

"Actually, sea turtles, mate. A pair of them, strapped to my feet." Will smiled.

"Not so easy is it?"

"But I do owe you thanks, Jack." Will spoke with an edge to the captain.

"You do?" Jack asked surprised.

"After you tricked me onto that ship to square you deal with Jones." Will explained accusingly.

"Ah yes, I remember that. Good times." I reminisced about our wonderful cruise with Jones.

"What?" Elizabeth spoke with indictment.

"What?" Jack combated with a stupid I-never-did-anything-of-the-sort voice.

"I was reunited with my father." Will added.

"Oh! Well… you're welcome, then."

Elizabeth came at Jack threateningly, "Everything you said to me… every word was a lie!"

"First of all, I'm having a difficult time understanding this... Why would you trust Jack?" I asked, feeling like I hadn't said anything in a while.

"Pretty much. Time and tide, love." Jack replied Jackishly.

Will stooped down with Davy Jones's key to open the chest.

"Oi! What are you doing?" Jack cried in a sudden outburst.

"I'm gonna kill Jones." He answered obviously.

Jack drew his sword, pointing the sharp blade at Will whom he had been talking peacefully with a moment ago.

"Can't let you do that, William. 'Cause if Jones is dead, who's to call his terrible beastie off the hunt, eh? Now if you please: The key." Jack explained.

"Wait a minute; we're all on the same team here. Can't we negotiate with Jones to get what we want?" I asked, trying to end the testosterone building in all the men, "I'll take care of the Kraken, Jack."

Will backed up slowly towards Elizabeth. As he did so, his hand shot down, drawing her sword to defend himself, "I keep the promise I make, Jack. I intend to free my father. I hope you're here to see it."

"Does anyone listen to me? Will, wake up here, you can free your father without killing Jones, just bargain." But no one was listening to me, why would they, each was working for only their own purpose. They were just too dense to see this argument could be ended easily.

"I can't let you do that either, so sorry." Norrington had his sword out too, face-palm.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually." Jack spoke to the previous commodore. (The new one's much better. Goes by the name of Alex.)

But Norrington's sword was also pointed at Jack.

"Lord Beckett desires the contents of that chest, I deliver it, I get my life back." He snidely explained.

"Ah. The dark side of ambition." Jack observed.

"Oh, I prefer to see it as the promise of redemption." Norrington remarked.

Action! The three-way duel ensued like a gun firing. The men jumped at each other like hungry dogs over a piece of meat, all bent on inflicting immense pain on the other.

"Stop it!" Elizabeth cried in protest of the three. She began to follow the fight along its uncharted course on the serene beach.

I sat back down on a small sand dune with thin wisps of grass sticking out of the fine white grains. Got to get back to my er, project. The carved slit in the harpoon still wasn't big enough. I just hoped that the aerodynamics of it would not be altered too much, if I enlarged it.

"Be careful!" I heard Elizabeth worry a ways down the sand bar, "Jack!"

"Guard the chest!" Will ordered to her as he dodged a blow from Norrington.

"No!" She replied, outraged.

I heard her approach me, probably expecting me to do something about it.

"Rummy, can't you stop them?" She pleaded.

I tilted my head up from my work just a moment to look at her with the sunlight shining at her back, "I could."

"What's stopping you then?" She questioned me with anger.

"Important pressing matters that I must attend to. What, they won't listen to _you_?"

"Fine! Be difficult!" She pivoted sharply and trudged away, groaning at my "lack of concern".

"This is barbaric! This is no way for grown men to settle- ! Oh! Fine! Let's just- pull out our swords and start banging away at each other! This will solve everything! I've had it! I've had enough! Wobbly- legged, rum soaked… pirates!!!" Elizabeth ranted, and then fumingly picked up rocks and began to futilely throw them at the three.

"Enough!" She yelled, but was still unheard.

I was almost done, just had to make the slot a half-inch wider.

And Elizabeth was still going at it; I was surprised by her vigor. I would have given up long ago, that is if I had actually started. But I still could use that chest, I realized. Maybe not to trade in to Becket for my freedom, I had sort of given up that task once Toby had…

But if Davy Jones ruled the sea, then he could control those that were claimed by it, right? There was still a slim chance, and maybe, just maybe I could get Toby back.

"Will! Enough!"

Strapping the harpoon to my back, I got up with a set determination, yes, I would head over there and receive possession of that key. Then Old Davy would have no choice.

"Oh! Oh…! The heat!" Elizabeth collapsed to the ground, her hand laying upon her forehead in a dramatic pose.

I drew my sword and walked up to the whirlwind of fighters, trying to determine who had the key, and when to jump in. It appeared that Will had the small, prized key in his fist. I was just about to make a quick slide into the dueling trio when I picked up a faint cry behind me.

I turned to see Elizabeth running after tweedle dee and tweedle dumb with the chest that I needed.

"God Damnit! Can't she guard the chest for one moment!"

My mind weighed the situation, hmm, key or chest. I decided the chest would come first. Who knows what those idiots would end up doing with it. So I sprinted down the beach off to where little Miss Swan had gotten herself into a rut.

My heart began to strain from the running, tightening painfully. I felt as if no oxygen were getting to my brain, I guess this was gonna happen every time.

I was a ways behind them, but soon managed to close the distance, ignoring the pinching pain, as I entered the green-leafed tropical forest of the island. Pintel and Ragetti were both holding a rung on either side of the chest and giggled as they ran. Elizabeth appeared in front of them, blocking their path. She attempted to reach for her sword, but alas, Will had taken it for his duel.

"Ello, Poppet." Pintel smiled devilishly as the two slowly advanced on her.

I was still pushing my sprint to the limit, but it looked like I was not going to get to poor Elizabeth in time.

Interrupting this, a large mill wheel crashed through the trees with Norrington, Jack, and Will fighting on top of it. It disappeared as quickly as it had come. That was very... odd. Part of me wished I would have gone with their party.

Anyways, back to the death of Elizabeth. Oh the suspense! Pintel and Ragetti were nearly about to thrust their swords into her when someone else's weapon was hurled at them.

_Thump!_ A thrown axe had embedded itself into a coconut palm trunk right next to Miss. Swan's head. Oh my God! I turned around to find the entire contents of _The Flying Dutchman _charging towards us. I reached "our team" just in time for members of Jones's crew to hurl their weapons towards my head.

"Ugly manfish!" I spat as I whipped my sword across the face of a slimy clam like creature.

The other three began to do the same, but were one sword short. How the hell were four people supposed to stand up to a whole crew, with only three weapons?

They were all around us, well surrounding me mostly. Where ever I turned, there was another one bellowing as he charged at me. It's not like I was that good of a swordsman. Man, it was times like these that I wished for Toby.

"Sword!" Ragetti yelled for me to throw him my weapon. I did so, and he just barely parried a blow from a hammerheaded manfish.

I rolled to the ground on reflex as an axe barreled towards me, "Sword!" I yelled for some assistance. My pulse was racing as the glimmering metal flew through the air, and I just nearly reached it to thrust into a manfish's stomach. It made a sickening squish as black liquid poured out of the wound.

After a few minutes of nonstop fighting, I had to take a breather. My chest seemed to be shaking with every beat of my heart, but I was still surrounded by those damned demon pirates! With one last effort, I bolted out of the squirmish, shielding myself from blows. I just managed to brake out, but not without a blast of pain to my side. I fell to the ground, as my body seethed in pain.

The towering familiar figure of Bo'sun appeared above me with his sword poised above my chest. He belted out strong laughter as he looked down at my weakened state. "You're gonna wish you had stayed with the Dutchman, bitch!" He growled as his sword cut heavily through the air at me.

With my last strength, I pulled the pistol off of my bleeding side and jerked the trigger. The bullet hit him straight in the eye, stopping his swing. The monster stumbled backwards and fell heavily to the dirt. It was over as quickly as it had started.

With strained breathing, I pulled myself up to my unsteady feet, and hobbled to the cover of some bushes. There I lay, trying to gain control of my racing heart beat. I finally built up enough courage to look down to my bloodied right side where Bo'sun had slashed me. An inch thick gash had ripped into my skin, but luckily, not into any organs.

Still, enough blood was pouring out of the wound that I had to find someone before I passed out. I flinched from the unrelenting twang as I stood up, leaning on my sword for support. It seemed my vision was blurred in a dull haze as I tumbled through the undergrowth, light was blunted, sound numbed. Colors even seemed to fade, losing their archetypal brightness.

Just a loud ringing in my ears could be heard, like a bell being repeatitively rung over and over. I stumbled onto the open shoreline; there was our boat, up ahead. If I could just reach it. Who was that? Jack, he was bending over the boat with the chest. As he saw me, he walked briskly over, seeing that I was hurt. This was familiar, so familiar. The sunlight that once seemed bright and welcoming was now far and distant, my surroundings dead and blurred.

Once again, Tia Dalma's voice seemed to echo around me, "I know what you want, but you will soon find dat your meaning will change."

What was going on? What was happening?

"You knew! Oh my God, you _knew_!" I heard my voice now, whether I was saying it, or it was a memory, I couldn't tell.

Jack was speaking, but I couldn't hear, it seemed like I was trapped in my body, my bloody hands clasped the cold gun, it seemed to fit like the last piece of the puzzle. I watched my arm raise the gun, in a trance-like motion. It was pointed squarely at Jack Sparrow.

Blackness seemed to creep into my eyesight, giving me tunnel vision. Fury washed over me like a wave of nausea, he did this! He killed Toby. "Jack Sparrow! You killed him! You killed my best friend!" I yelled at the Captain.

He was saying something, but my ears were closed. My finger pulled down on the trigger and I heard a click and a bang as it went off.

Next thing I knew, I was on the ground, Will on top of me, wrestling to take the gun from my hands.

**A/N: I really am not sure if I like this chapter. It seems way too foggy and unclear. Plus there are no flashbacks. Oh! But please review. For those of you that do not understand this word, it means to tell the writer what you think of their story and give constructive criticism. Which is most helpful! Otherwise I'm just running in the dark. **


	15. Chapter 15: Sizable Problems

**A/N: Well now, it has been a month since I last updated. And finally, I have finished this chapter over break. I feel bad for putting it off so long, but I'm almost done. I think there will be one or two more chapters after this one. At least it's long and there is a flashback built into it. Writing Fairy had better update soon too!**

I awoke to screaming sounds and a sharp pain in my side. I heaved and saw my hands wet with blood. As I looked around, I saw that I was lying in Jack's cabin, but nobody was around. Lifting myself up, I steadied myself against the swaying wooden wall and felt my heart twist.

Slowly, I made my way through the room, trying to piece together scattered thoughts. The island, the chest, Jack, Davy Jones. They all played some key roll in the past events. There was a gunshot, yes, I remember. A gun in my hand, and it was pointed at… Jack.

Another scream interrupted my thoughts, "Hard to starboard!" Elizabeth's high voice rang out to the crew as I thrust open the door to see the _Flaying Dutchman _along side the _Black Pearl_.

"Brace up the foreyard!" Will equally ordered as the crew got ready for battle.

"Hard to starboard." Gibbs echoed the command as sailors rushed in all directions.

Davy Jones's heavy voice cut through the noise, "Send his beloved _Pearl _back to the depths!"

"Fire?!"

Instinctively, I fell to the ground as cannon balls erupted around me and my wound reopened from the impact.

"Son of a holy bitch!" I swore, "Jack! Elizabeth!"

I spotted Gibbs through the smoke and scurried up to him, "Is Jack all right?" I asked, disjointedly.

"What!" He yelled over the whizzing bullets and falling timbers, "Jack? Yes! Here!" He handed me a curved sword and swung around the mast to attend to the unguarded left side of the deck.

"She's on us! She's on us!"

"Let them taste the triple guns!" Jones roared.

I sighted Elizabeth by the wheel, "She's falling behind!" The woman observed with a hint of hope in her voice.

"Aye and we've got her!" Gibbs came up behind me.

"We're the faster?" Will asked.

"Even with the holes?" I inquired, still unsure.

"Against the wind, the _Dutchman_ beats us. That's how she takes her prey. But with the wind…" Gibbs elaborated.

"We rob her advantage." Will finished.

"Ah!."

"We're not outa the clear yet." I warned, "Jones will just get his monster on us."

"Aye." The rest approved.

"Okay, so, I need nitro right now! Jack!" I shouted.

"Oy, Rummy, what is it?"

I pulled him off to the side, "You said you had nitro."

"Right, I'll get someone to bring that up."

"Good, oh, and I'm sorry about almost killing you and all." I apologized hurriedly.

"No hard feelings love."

I waited impatiently for them to bring up the explosives. Everything had almost come into place. I pulled out the harpoon and cut some of the extra line on the ship. I had to kill that beast! For Toby's sake, I was going to get my revenge even if it killed me. When the Kraken attacked, I would have a lethal harpoon, ready to throw into one of its saucer shaped eyes. I figured that would be the weakest spot, and closest to the brain.

A large wooden crate was hauled up the stairs and set heavily on the ground.

My heart raced in alarm, "Wait! Wait! Be careful, unless you want us all dead!"

I waved my hands around, "Back up! Back up!" I pried the old crate open with my knife, "Okay, Jack, nice going, how long have you had this stuff down there?"

He shrugged.

"Damn," I peered into the damp crate to look at a last long cylinder of nitro, "This isn't good. Do you know what happens to nitroglycerine in ninety plus degree weather?" I asked, "It sweats…nitroglycerine."

I looked up to the whole crew staring at me; I was the center of attention. Of course then idiot one and two scrambled onto the deck.

"Hold it! Them two! Get the hell out of here. Jack, I don't care where you put those two, just get them as far away from here as possible!" I ordered, "This is no time to screw around."

Pintel and Ragetti were about to protest when Will closed the grate on them, shutting them in. I took a deep breath and began to carefully lift the stick of nitro onto the deck, keeping in mind that any small shudder could cause my body to be blown into bite-sized pieces. There was complete silence around me. Nobody dared to udder a word, they all watched as I cautiously shifted the stick into the carved out harpoon. I took the line and securely wrapped it around the explosive.

"Is that it?" Elizabeth asked, uncertainty in her voice.

"Yeah." I replied, "Now I wait. Probably going to need to get a head shot. Only how do I get it to come to the surface?" I muttered to myself.

I wondered how I was going to accomplish this problem. How would one draw the Kraken's head from the sea? I had faced many problems in my life, but none quite like this. I could feel anger in me as my nerves tensed, this was so discouraging! Almost like when Beckett had seized my ship three years ago. My thoughts brought me back to that infuriating day.

I looked out at the rising sun of another mild winter's morning. The _Jade Chalice_ glided smoothly through the dark waters. It was just me and the night watch standing on deck. We were returning from the Acoundi Island with another heavy shipment of rum. I expected to sell it to my customers at Port Royal, overpricing it too. Port Royal's many rich inhabitants could be expected to pay almost double what I charged at Tortuga for the same rum.

I smiled, congratulating myself on this. The popularity of my rum was soaring, mostly thanks to the advertising I had invested in. Toby and I had talked to some of the local printing presses and paid them to promote my beverage in them for a fee. It seemed to be working extremely well; I calculated sales increasing up to fifty percent this year.

We had almost reached this very routine route to Port Royal when a British Navel ship slid out from a rocky cove and aligned itself next to the _Jade Chalice_.

"Prepare to board!" I heard one of the redcoats yell.

"Scott!" I called the look out down from his post; the man jumped nimbly on the rope works of the sails and landed acrobatically in front of me.

"Captain! Should we take a hostile approach?!" He asked, reaching for his sword.

I rushed onto the top deck, scouting for any way of escape. Many sailors feared the navy, it was almost impossible to get around the corrupt British legal system unless you were one of the fat cats. Frustrated, I saw they had slyly cornered us.

"No, there's nowhere to run. They've caught us off guard, coming into port. They knew we wouldn't be expecting this!" I sighed, "Wake the crew and tell them to hide anything they don't want seized. Now step too!" I ordered just as a heavy wooden plank fell onto my deck and ropes conjoined the two ships.

Swiftly, I walked up to them as soldiers poured onto my deck. Before I could speak, I had at least a dozen muskets pointing at me. I waited for the captain to approach. He pushed through his men and stood in front of me. I was surprised to see he was a young, tall fellow, with a shrewd face and long black hair tied in a ribbon behind his ears.

"Greetings sir, what seems to be a big enough problem to where you have your whole fleet ready to kill me?" I asked in a sweet voice hidden with venom.

"Are you the captain?" The man asked a little taken aback.

"What? Surprised, because I'm a woman?"

"Umm, not at all." I could see he was lying.

"Frankly I'm surprised you're not a cabin boy." I replied with scorn.

Behind me I could tell the rest of my crew had been with strained and now soldiers were ransacking my cabin. No doubt pilfering my hard earned cash.

"Yes, well… my lady, I am Captain Winthrop, and we seem to suspect illegal trading of alcohol that is in direct violation with the embargo of 1768."

"And what is this new embargo that I have never heard about?" I asked.

"It's… it's simply a restriction on all merchant ships. They are not allowed to trade with any non British settlements or colonies, which we have recorded you trading with the Spanish colony of San Maria." The captain explained.

"Hmm, well technically San Maria was a British colony up until a year and a half ago, and I haven't been there since then." I answered him truthfully.

"We have records of you recently selling liquor there." The stickler countered.

"What are these records?"

"An eyewitness and documents from the Golden Ridge Tavern." Captain Winthrop enlightened me, "And therefore, you are under arrest by his Highness, the British Royal King in direct violation of the Embargo Act of 1768." He spoke in one breath, "Also, the punishment is the gallows and your sailors are liable to be drafted into the king's navy." He finished.

My voice rose with fury, "Oh my God, this is ridiculous! I demand a trial!" I burst out, "I want to see that eyewitness!"

"A trial is not necessary with solid evidence." Captain Winthrop informed me, "You will be taken to Port Royal prison and there you will await your execution date."

"You navy boys think your so high and mighty!" I accused them, "Just wait, I won't go to prison. You picked the wrong captain to mess with!" I threatened in anger. Captain Winthrop just turned around, ignoring my enraged ranting with an indifferent shoulder.

A couple of hours later, I found myself locked behind bars in a small, filth encrusted cell. The other occupants surrounding me had already taken the liberty of annoying the hell out of me with their perverted fantasies.

"Hey babe, why don't you come closer to the bars. Maybe help a fellow out. Down here can get pretty lonesome without company." A man with years of dirt layering his face drawled in a low baritone voice.

"Go screw yourself and shut the hell up." I replied, my anger rising.

I stood up and paced in the tiny cell, feeling my fists tense in resentment for all those around me, the government, and anyone else who could easily get beneath my skin at the moment.

Fiercely, I kicked the iron bars of my cell only to feel a volt of pain rush threw me. The sound vibrated around me and the man in the cell next to me hoarsely let out a laugh. I flopped back down onto the decomposing straw and felt the immensity rush over me. What was I going to do? My life would end because of some snooty rich king who walked all over his people.

I was cut short by the echoing footsteps of someone descended the stone steps of the prison. A short man in a curt red uniform approached. His pale skin and sallow wig stood out in the dim light.

I was sure he would be the one to issue me my time of death, and when the creature stopped at my cell, my stomach dropped unpleasantly.

"Captain Rummy, I assume." He spoke in a nasally tone.

"So when will I be killed?" I straightforwardly questioned with mock light heartedness.

He let out a quiet chuckle, "Yes, I was informed you were a peculiar breed. Yes." He spoke to himself with a half smile, "Let me introduce my self. I am Commander Cutler Beckett and I have an offer for you."

I stood up, taking interest now. I was at least five inches taller than this petite military officer. I could tell he lived a prolific life, and most likely only received such a high position from his thickly stuffed pockets.

"What does this offer consist of?" I furthered.

He cleared his throat, "As of now, your crew is on the _Constrictor_ where they will stay, serving the Royal navy." He explained, "And you were set to be sentenced two days from now for your crime."

I pursed my lips, thinking about Toby and the rest of my hand picked crew living that dangerous life. Those that served had such a low survival rate. It was something like two years. Well, I suppose it made sense. The British were continually capturing colonies, fighting pirates, or conquering natives.

"Anyways, I have an alternative." Beckett went on in his lofty polite voice, "You can have your life and your crew's freedom back if you serve the East India Trading Company."

"The East India Trading Company?" I asked, "I've never heard of it."

"It has been newly formed, but basically it incorporates all British merchants under one system. They will gain protection from the navy and benefits for a small tariff of their monthly revenue."

"So you'll tax my profits." I asked, "In exchange for my freedom."

"Exactly," He reinforced, "All you need to do is sign here." He held up a thin parchment with fine printed paragraphs. Underneath, there was a line for my signature.

I leaned up against the bars. Squinting to read in the bad light, I knew this agreement would be much more complicated than this Cutler Beckett was making it out to be. There would be loopholes and double phrased sentences that would allow them to screw me over, but what choice did I have? I couldn't let Toby be practically a slave. What about his family and kids?

"How much would the percent be?" I posed.

"Oh, say 8.3" He answered.

"I do need to support eighteen men." I spoke through my teeth.

"Would you rather face the gallows?" Beckett raised his eyebrows.

"Alright, I'll sign." I took his quill and feeling like I was backed up into a corner, I wrote my name.

"Great, now Captain, you will be reporting to me. I will assign your routes and stops."

"What! I should get the liberty to choose my headings!" I cried in outrage.

"That's not how it works. The company has full authority to determine the paths of its employees." He replied haughtily, "Oh, and if I even get a whiff of any attempt to cheat the company out of profits," He cautioned, "then you'll find yourself right back in this comfy cell, awaiting the same sentence."

I was brought back from my memories by Will's loud voice, he was arguing with Jack by the wheel, "My father is on that ship. If we can outrun her, we can take her. We should turn and fight." Will bravely explained to him.

"Why fight when you can negotiate? All one needs… is the proper leverage." Jack held up his jar of dirt.

The ship beneath me suddenly lurched beneath my feet and I fell to the ground. The harpoon fell out of my hands and hit the ground. My eyes tightened close as I expected an eruption of fire and debris, but nothing happened.

I let out a shaky breath and picked it up, what had broken was Jack's jar of dirt, and now he was frantically searching the soil for something. I got up, cursing my ill heart and the injury in my side which was far from healed. If we weren't in such a disastrous state, I would be resting. All this running around would be the death of me.

"Where is it? Where is the thump thump?!" The Captain wasn't making any sense.

"We must've hit a reef!" Gibbs called out in bewilderment.

"No. It's not a reef! Get away from the rail!" Will yelled to the crew as I heard something large move beneath the surface of the ocean.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"The Kraken. It's happening again!" I yelled, running up to them with my harpoon. This time, I had to get its head out of the water. That was the only way my plan could work.

"All guns, defend the masts!" Gibbs ordered.

"It'll attack the starboard. I've seen it before. Break out the cannons and hold for my signal." Will commanded, taking his place as the rest of us hurried about. I vaguely wondered where Jack was in all of this.

A deep rumbling sound developed and with stern faces, we waited in ominous silence.

"Easy, boys!" Massive tentacles crept out of the water and suctioned up the side of the ship, feeling around like blind alien creatures.

"Will?" Elizabeth's voice called with uncertainty and fear.

"Steady! Steady." Will continued.

"Will?"

"Hold. Hold…" The arms were slinking on board now, and everyone drew closer to the center of the ship.

"I think we've held fire long enough." Pintel's voice shook.

"Will!" Elizabeth was close to fainting.

"Fire!" Will Turner roared over the blast of cannons and fire.

The cannons hit their mark as some of the Kraken's many arms were blown apart. Chunks were ripped off and as the tentacles retreated, some were still glowing with heat. Cheers bloomed as the crew realized they had warded off the monster.

"It'll be back. We have to get off the ship." Will warned.

Elizabeth approached with fret, "There's no boats."

"Right, Will, we can use some of the gunpowder to keep it off the deck." I suggested.

"Okay. Pull the grates! Get all the gunpowder onto the net in the cargo hold." The blacksmith regulated. He then handed Elizabeth a shot gun, "Whatever you do, don't miss." He trusted her.

Elizabeth then turned to me, "Rummy, go see where Jack is. I think he may have left."

I nodded, "You'll be okay on your own?" I asked.

"I can handle a gun." She replied with courage, "As soon as you're clear."

I pivoted and ran to the end of the ship to see the last long boat occupied with none other than the heroic Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Jack!" I yelled to the fleeing man, "Where are you going?!"

He stopped rowing and floated there looking at me, "So you're just going to leave! Let someone else protect the _Black Pearl_ during its darkest hour. You coward!" I condemned him.

"You all should do the same!" Jack Sparrow called back, "If you know what's best for you."

"Are you not the pirate captain I always knew? Who got himself out of the stickiest situations?"

Jack didn't respond, the Kraken exploded out of the sea, arms flailing, it had begun. I ducked as one whipped above me and shattered a beam. Salt water sprayed onto the deck and I just managed to yell, "Remember you owe me! Back on the island, for saving your ass, Jack!"

That's all I could get out before a tentacle slammed in front of me and I leaped aside feeling the pain in my side.

"Pull away!" Will's strong voice yelled as he tied the gunpowder and rum together.

"Heave! Heave! Like you've been paid for it!" Gibbs bellowed over the destruction and the barrels were hoisted up. Will hung onto the side of the net holding the gunpowder and attempted to attract the Kraken attention. I also got ready, poised with my harpoon if I saw its head emerge.

"Euh! Come on! I'm over here! Come on!" Will waved his knife, slashing at tentacles. As he was hanging, his foot got caught in the net.

"Shoot Elizabeth! Shoot!" Will screamed as the Kraken's arms wrapped around the net.

I looked to her, but she hesitated, waiting for Will to fall free. Quickly, I climbed the rigging, trying to get to Will before the explosion. I held my breath and made a hurdle for the net. My skin burned as I grabbed the rope and got a hold. Will was above me, his foot caught.

"Give me your knife!" I yelled through the chaos.

Grasping the knife in one hand and the net in the other, I began to hack at the rope to cut Will's foot free. My knife sliced through the last one and Will dropped to the deck. Following him, I let go and felt my body dropping. There was a whoosh of hot air and a roaring ear blasting noise. Barely realizing I hit the ground, I covered my head and knew that the gunpowder had exploded.

Looking up, I saw Captain Jack Sparrow with the shot gun in his hands.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. I only hope that maybe I'll get some more reviews from different people during the break. Merry Holidays and good luck in the next year!**

**TeTc**

**Chinchillas are friends, not furs!!!**


	16. Chapter 16: Abandon Hope

**A/N: Yay! I squeezed another update in! I'm gonna finish this story! Or is it already finished? Is this the last chapter : P--)-- **

**Chapter 16**

"Did we kill it?" My senses picked up Marty speaking. I picked my aching body up and carelessly brushed off chunks of Kraken on me.

"No. We just made it angry. We're not out of this yet. Captain! Orders!" Gibbs looked to Jack like he had never abandoned ship to let us all drown and save his own skin.

Jack's face was stern without emotion, "Abandon ship. Into the long boat." He spoke in a monotone voice that I had never heard before.

"Jack! The _Pearl_!" Gibbs was horrified.

"She's only a ship, mate." Jack replied downtrodden.

"He's right. We have to head for land." Elizabeth added as the whole crew looked at them like they were crazy. I knew how Jack felt. Your ship was your home. It felt like a vice when you lost it. I could picture every feature of the _Jade Chalice_ when it had been claimed by the Kraken.

"'S a lot o' open wa'er." Pintel looked out at the clear, unbounded ocean surrounding us.

"We have to try. We can get away as it takes down the _Pearl_." Will tried to give the group hope.

"Abandon ship. Abandon ship or abandon hope." Gibbs somberly articulated.

I approached Elizabeth as the crew began to load the long boat with supplies. She seemed to be struggling with a very hard decision. I had made a decision also.

"Elizabeth," I said, getting her attention.

"Yes?"

I spoke quietly, "I'm going to stay behind."

"Why?" She looked confused with a hint of fear.

"I need to make sure it's dead. For Toby's sake. It needs to be dead." I replied, my hands gripping the unused harpoon.

"You loved him." She observed.

"I don't believe in that emotion," I turned my back on her,

"No, you've just spent your whole life avoiding it." She spoke knowingly.

"Look, I just need the bait… to draw it out. I need someone to stay behind with me." I continued.

"Jack should. He's the captain." Elizabeth mused, "I can get him to stay." She spoke with purpose.

"Alright, then step to."

I watched as Elizabeth walked up to Jack. We were the only ones left on the ship. Everyone else had boarded the long boat. I stood in the shadows, waiting, wondering if this would be my last day. I breathed in sharply, feeling the sharp pain in my side from my wound.

"Thank you, Jack." Elizabeth spoke softly. I wondered if that approach would work. Elizabeth would have to do something better than that to get Jack to stay onboard the _Black Pearl_.

"We're not free yet, love."

"You came back. I always knew you were a good man." Elizabeth seduced.

I laughed inwardly, I was the one who guilted him into doing it. Then Elizabeth did something so surprising and revolting that I wanted to look away, but was forced to stare at. She kissed Jack. The kiss was interrupted by the sound of shackles. Elizabeth had chained Jack to the main mast.

"It's after you, not the ship. It's not us. This is the only way, don't you see? I'm not sorry." Elizabeth tried to justify her actions to him. She leaned in to kiss him again.

Jack smiled, "Pirate."

Elizabeth left the captain chained to his ship and I saw the boat cast off, leaving the two of us alone. Jack began to frantically struggle against his ironclads.

"Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger…!"

"Jack, there's no use." I came out of the shadows.

"Rummy! Help me out of the darn things! We might still make it." He exclaimed when he saw me.

"I'm sorry it had to be you, Jack." I apologized as I climbed the mast. I reached the top quickly and felt my palms sweat as I tightly gripped the harpoon. It was all down to this. I only hoped that Jack would bait the Kraken to emerge from the water giving me a clear shot at its head. Time seemed to elapse slower than pitch. I tried to steady myself, taking in deep breaths. I can't miss, I can't miss. Those words repeated over in my head. Toby didn't miss, I remembered. He had killed Cleveland, saving my life. Now I must return the favor.

Part of me, the logical side, kept on saying that it was stupid to take revenge on an animal. The thing had no feeling; it didn't know who Toby was or who I was. It was just instructed to kill, like a tool. But Davy Jones's rule over the sea would be seriously affected.

Laughing echoed in my head, the free, light-hearted laughing of children at play, because that's all we used to be. Children. The many days which Toby and I had spent just playing around and doing nothing. Our only care would be what we would do that day. Things had sure changed.

A particularly fond moment reflected in my mind. I was about eight when the two of us had decided to go to the beach and search for seashells. It was a warm summers evening, a clear, starry sky with fireflies winking in an out in the distance. There was a celebration in the town; I could here the music and shouts in the distance. The market stalls had all opened that day and decorated with ribbons and decorations.

I didn't quite understand what all the partying was about. Some soldiers had come home in bright red uniforms and marched down the streets. The governor had welcomed them home and declared a feast in their honor. And just like that, the otherwise drab town had come alive.

"I found a spiral one!" Toby exclaimed as he picked up a black seashell. He brushed the wet sand off and stared mesmerized at the iridescent inside.

"Here, if we find enough, maybe we can sell them to the people at the party." I suggested, "I saw a guy selling painted ones once."

"Okay, Remy go look down the beach over there. I'm sure we can get a whole bunch before my mom finds us." Toby suggested as he bent down to search the white foaming tide.

I ran to where he directed, feeling the cool water and sand underneath my bare feet. I scooped up a pile of sand and began sifting through it. I ventured farther out, hoping to find bigger shells. The water was about waist deep when I saw a pink and grey object through the clear water.

Curiously, I headed further out to examine it, and to my amazement, it appeared to be a giant shell. The image wiggled under the glass like surface, taunting me, luring me to pick it up.

"Toby!" I yelled, "Come 'ere!"

Not waiting for him, I ducked under the waves and felt around blindly for the giant shell. My hands moved across the sandy bottom and at last, reached the solid, heavy object. My thin arms strained to pick up the mass and gradually, I lifted it up.

Toby came out into the ocean to help me and we both carried it to shore, transfixed with its colossal beauty.

"Wow, good job Rem." Toby congratulated me on my find.

I dragged it over to my self and set it in my lap, scrutinizing the rough outside and the glassy pink inside. I spotted something black inside the shell and my hazel eyes peered closer.

"What is it?" Toby asked with inquisitiveness, he leaned in to see closer and pushed his dark hair out of his soft grey eyes.

A slimy black creature shot out of the shell and scurried into the ocean, it startled me so much that I flew backwards and landed heavily on my butt.

Toby began to roll with laughter, "You got scared! You're scared of a crayfish!"

"No I'm not! I just was startled." I tried to convince him, "I'm not scared of a crayfish."

Toby did a bad impression of my face. "That's it!" I stalked him, ready to pounce onto my laughing friend.

"Oh God!" Toby scrambled up and began to run from my outstretched hands as I tried to tackle him.

"Your dead!" I threatened and then lunged, grabbing his legs. We both tumbled to the ground, laughing.

That night, I cleaned the shell off and set it by my window before I went to bed. That window faced Toby's house across the street from mine. I could hear my sisters Julia and Hannah sleeping next to me.

The shell seemed to glow in the moonlight, a pale, foreign object in the little bedroom. It didn't belong, everything else was so fragile. My sister's dolls and their painted faces seemed to stare at the shell with dislike. But I looked at it fondly, I didn't care for dolls. I enjoyed the ocean where this shell came from. Gradually I drifted to sleep, guarding my treasure.

"That shell went down with my ship", I sighed, "Taken by the Kraken, another of my memories stolen from me." I whispered to myself.

"Come on…come on…" Jack's desperate voice drifted up to me.

Peering down from the crow's nest, I saw that my bait was trying to free him self. He had taken the oil from a lantern in an attempt to squeeze his hands free of the manacles.

"Oy! Jack stop!" I yelled, if he got away, the whole thing would be ruined!

Too late, Jack slipped free but not before the rumbling and bubbling underwater announcement of the Kraken. The hideous head rose menacingly out of the water, staring stupidly at Jack. Water drained from its slimy tentacles as I prepared to throw my harpoon.

The hunter roared, rocking the _Pearl_. I'm sure anyone within a five mile radius shivered from that sound. It was the most unearthly thing I had ever heard in my life and brought back the memory of Davy Jones at his stone organ. Jack was sprayed with slime as the Kraken's mouth opened, illuminating its rows of razor sharp teeth, and flinging Jack's three cornered hat at his feet.

"Not so bad." He replied, "Oh!" He delightedly cried as he spotted his slimy hat. He picked it up and placed it on his head.

Nobody said this would be easy. I got ready to launch my weapon as the glaring white eye swayed foreword. Revenge. Its eye had to be as large as a saucer; its head could fit a human in the mouth. Toby. That thing had dragged him down. I was too late to follow him, but I was ready to die; I was ready to kill, all for him.

At the same moment as Jack charged, I released the harpoon I had been holding on for so long. It spun through the air, picking up speed. As I watched, time seemed to halt for this one moment. Jack was enveloped by the monster just as the spear head pierced the round, glassy eye.

And then…nothing.

**A/N: Nope, I don't really have anything to say other than ha ha. **

**Oh and thank you 16Aqua, DemonicSymphony, and WF for all the wonderful reviews. Screw the rest of you!**

**TeTc**


	17. Chapter 17: I'm goin back to the start

**A/N: Okay, this is the Epilogue of my story and the end of this beast. God it's so emo and depressing but at least it's done. I'm thinking about making a continuation, but it won't be on Rummy, but another character mentioned in this story. Thanks 4 reading!**

**Chapter 17**

Coldplay, The Scientist

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry  
You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you  
Tell you I need you  
Tell you I set you apart

Tell me your secrets  
And ask me your questions  
oh, let's go back to the start

Running in circles  
Calling tails  
Heads on a science apart

Nobody said it was easy  
It's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be this hard

oh, take me back to the start

I was just guessing  
At numbers and figures  
Pulling the puzzles apart

Questions of science  
Science and progress  
Do not speak as loud as my heart

Tell me you love me  
Come back and haunt me  
Oh, and I rush to the start

Running in circles  
Chasing our tails  
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy  
it's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be so hard

I'm going back to the start...

Christine bent down, wiping up the spilled milk on the stone floor of her kitchen. Her back ached from cleaning all day and preparing dinner. Then on top of that, she had to clean up Sarah's spills! But she would take it all to be with her husband. Lord! If only she could see him. Christine wasn't sure when he would be returning to port; Toby had not said where Rummy was taking them.

Christine closed her eyes, remembering the warm embrace that announced the return of her husband. If only she could have him everyday, the kids really needed him. Toby could always keep Joshua occupied. He would never get into trouble when his father was around. It was just when Toby left to earn money as a rumrunner that Joshua was such a hand full.

Her son reminded her so much of her husband, though. He looked like an exact copy! Joshua was almost as tall as her and he was only twelve. Toby and he had the same dark hair, the same grey eyed face. But Joshua had this dreaming detachment that caused people to see him as differently. She really wondered about him sometimes.

A wrapping knock released Christine from her ranging thoughts of her sea bound husband. She walked up to the door, a little bounce in her step as she thought of who it could be.

The door swung open just as Joshua ran inside and stood in the doorway, studying the strange woman who was planted there.

Outside stood a middle aged sailor dressed in men's cloths. Her feet were donned in sailor's boots, she wore baggy men's pants, and the stranger's torso was draped in a tattered white shirt. On her weathered face was a black bandana and straggly golden brown hair draped her neck and hazel eyes that once held life. But this was no human, Christine felt like it was only the frame left like the remnants of a wrecked ship on the rocks.

The stranger gave them a long look silently. She could barely stand, her figure was hunched in pain and Christine saw why as her blue eyes traveled to the brown stain on the woman's shirt.

Christine seemed to recognize the outsider and spoke warily, "Rummy, you're hurt."

The woman barely registered the sentence in her bleak stare, she swallowed hard.

"Please, you can come in." The mother beckoned.

"No." The stranger croaked with finality, "I came to tell you. Tell you I'm sorry."

"What, why?" Christine began to question, worry entering her voice.

"I'm sorry. I tried, God I tried."

"Where's Toby?" Christine asked, fear and realization hitting her full force at once.

"He… Toby isn't here. He's… not coming back." Rummy admitted with sympathy.

Christine bolted to Rummy like a magnet, pure animalistic emotions taking control, and then put her hands on the other woman's shoulders, shaking her violently, "Where's Toby?! Where is he?" She demaded as she shook her tall visitor.

The weaker woman collapsed, unable to take the added stress, she wheezed, "He's dead! Toby is dead! I killed him!" She screamed with angst.

"No….no, no, no." Christine cried, "wh-how?" She wanted to know, she had to know.

Rummy steadied her racking breath, "Ship wreck." She managed to get out.

Joshua, standing by the door and witnessing the scene felt the wind get knocked out of him by the news. Confusion entered him and unbelievingly, he charged out of the doorway, "Get out! Get out!" He screamed, "You're a liar and you stay the hell away from my mother!"

He threateningly waved his fists and swung his foot at the intruder. He made contact with an arm and fell to the ground, Rummy got up leaning on her knees for support and looking at the boy she had just tripped.

"I'm sorry it had to end like this, Christine." She abruptly turned and walked off into the street, not looking back at the family she had just destroyed.

"I'm going back to the start…" Rummy closed her eyes as warm tears flooded down her face. Her heart cracked with pain and loss. All the memories and times she could have told him how she felt, they were all gone, missed opportunities. She had wasted a whole life time!

"I'll meet you on the other side, Toby, and I will tell you everything," she promised to herself as she gritted her teeth, waiting for her passage out of this world.

**A/N: I hope that this was adequate. It's kinda late, but I wanted to get this done b/c I'll have too much homework later in the week. But it's finally finished!!!! Yes, I'm still not happy w/ it. Too many spelling mistakes and problems though. But oh well. I also put Coldplay lyrics in b/c that is wat I had stuck in my head for the longest time as I wrote this story and it goes along with the plot. Well duh. Thank you guys 4 reviewing even though I wanted a little bit more. But anyways I will continue this and maybe post it in fictionpress b/c it won't go along w/ the POTC plot anymore. But tell me please if u want it up there!!!**

**Chinchillas r friends not furs please don't buy furs. I am currently boycotting fur, diamonds, coffee, Starbucks, and Ebaumaswrold. I'll prolly end up living like a monk soon. Gandhi rox. Soylent Green is people!!! YEahhhhhh-(ppl drag me off stage)**

**The Evil Traffic Cone is out for good!**


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